Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate
by IceDancer
Summary: With the disappearance of her mother ten years earlier, Ikaya felt she would never know her past, but with the appearance of a samurai named Jack, Ikaya finds the courage to leave her village and follow him into the strange new world, ruled by Aku!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: 

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Gennedy Tartakovsky (or however you spell it), the only thing I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Gennedy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas).

****

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate **

****

By: IceDancer

Prologue

"Kousetsu, it is not wise to go off on this trek alone, especially since Ikaya is still young." 

"I understand, Munsoli, but I can't let him get close to finding us, for all of our sakes."

Kousetsu continued to pack her belongings into her sack. The fire in the corner of the hut began to die down and the wind outside howled. 

Munsoli, walked over to Ikaya, who was sleeping on the bed next to where her mother was packing. He brushed her red hair to one side of her face with his paw while her mother picked up her stuff and headed for the door.

"Kousetsu, please reconsider what you are doing! Your leaving Ikaya with nothing but questions that none of us can answer, she hasn't even learned how to control her abilities yet!"

"She will learn, just give her the staff I made. She'll be able to find the strength she will need to figure her powers on her own. After all," Kousetsu said, moving the hanging cover to one side of the door, "she is her fathers daughter."

With that Kousetsu left the hut and disappeared into the forest, leaving Munsoli with the sleeping Ikaya, just as the last cinder in the fireplace burned out. 


	2. Ch 1: Tresspasser

Disclaimer: 

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Gennedy Tartakovsky (or however you spell it), the only thing I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Gennedy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas).

****

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate **

****

By: IceDancer  


Chapter 1

----------------------------

"Ikaya…Ikaya, answer me! It's time to come home, your shift is over!" Munsoli's voice said from far below Ikaya, who was sitting on one of the highest branches of a Cino tree.

"Not yet Munsoli, can I stay up here for another hour." Ikaya answered.

By this time Munsoli had climbed up the tree and was sitting on the branch next to her. His old furry face was a little flushed and his long white beard was full of pieces of tree bark and leaves.

"You know you shouldn't be climbing the trees anymore, you could hurt yourself." Ikaya said, helping him get settled.

"Ha, in the past one hundred years that I've lived I've never stumbled once, besides, I can still remember when I used to tell you the same thing and if memory serves, you did hurt yourself a couple of times." Munsoli said, laughing.

"Well, that doesn't happen anymore. Now I can guide myself through the trees almost as fast as you used to."

"Yes, I have no doubt that that is the truth, but for now it is time for you to come down from your post and go back to the village. Madame Miss has made a delicious Sneerbrow roast for supper."

"MM, sounds good, but if its all the same I'd rather stay at my post a little longer."

"Ikaya…"

"Please Munsoli, I've brought my cloak this time, in case the wind picks up. Just another twenty minutes, I feel that something's going to happen and I don't want to miss it."

Ikaya looked at Munsoli, making her big blue eyes seem bigger as she tucked her lips in a bit, making the 'sad puppy' face that she knew Munsoli could never say no to.

"Okay, child. But just twenty more minutes, and you put the cloak on before I leave, last time you didn't even use it, and you came down with a fierce cold, remember."

"Yes, thank you, Munsoli, I'm putting it on right now, see."

Munsoli gave Ikaya a long sigh and jumped off of the branch, landing with a hard thud onto the floor, looking back at her so she knew that his small Cakaroon body wasn't hurt. Ikaya just looked at him and waved with a big smile on her face, as he started to walk back to the village. She turned back around when he was out of site and began to survey the land in front of her again. 

Ikaya had lived in the village since she was eight, when Munsoli offered her and her mother a permanent home in the village of Cakaroons, small cat-like creatures. Before that she remembered wandering through forests with her mother, trying to make ends meat wherever they could. 

They were usually shunned from other villages because Ikaya had a green jewel imbedded in her chest and most rural villages saw this as an omen for evil. Although she heard this often, her mother told her never to believe it. Her jewel was a gift from her father, she would say, and that it gave her certain powers that should only be used for good, at all costs Ikaya should learn to control them for the good of others. 

Ikaya never knew her father, but her mother used to tell her stories of how he was a powerful man, who loved them dearly and never used his powers for evil. Her mother also used to tell her stories of the huge cities that were scattered over the lands. Ikaya could never hear enough of the amazing sights and sounds that she said could be found there, but whenever Ikaya asked to go with her mother when she went to get food from these cities her mother would insist that it was too dangerous for people like her, and that it would be easier if Ikaya hid while she went into the city alone.

But that was a long time ago, Ikaya had since learned how to navigate through the trees, not to mention fight as well as any of the other Cakaroons in the village. She had also since learned to channel the energy from her jewel through the staff that her mother had made her before she disappeared a year after they arrived, and was appointed one of the protectors of the village…which was usually more exciting than it was today.

"Sigh, twenty minutes are up, and nothing interesting happened. I guess my premonitions are getting a bit rusty."

Ikaya picked up her staff and was about to jump off from her post when she faintly heard someone in the distance. She squinted her eyes, noticing someone in a white robe walking through the forest.

"What's he doing in this part of the forest." she said to herself, jumping from tree to tree as quietly as possible, while she kept an eye on the stranger now below her.

He walked slowly through the forest floor, his eyes looking all around him. His black hair was tied back, held up with a small piece of wood, and he had nothing else with him except for a sword at his side.

Ikaya hid amongst the leaves, trying her best to keep from being noticed but she could see that he knew that someone was watching him because he had placed his hands on his sword.

'How can he hear me, his ears are too small. Only the Cakaroons would be able to hear me.' she thought to herself. 'That doesn't matter, I can't let him get too close to village.'

Ikaya picked up her staff and began to lightly channel her energy through it. She lifted herself on the branch a bit and was about to jump off when a Golganike, a giant monsters from the forest, crashed through the brush, making Ikaya loose her footing and go tumbling toward the ground.

The hood of her cloak fell over her face as she dropped toward the floor, expecting to hit it hard. She was surprised when she felt someone grab onto her before landing softly.

Ikaya lifted the hood off her eyes and came face to face with the stranger, his dark eyes looking down at her as stared back from his arms.

"Are you okay?" he said.

Ikaya could do nothing but look up at him, when she remembered the Golganike.

"Watch out!" she yelled, jumping out of his arms and pushing him out of the way.

The Golganike growled with hunger, lashing its claws around in an effort to hit one of the two bodies that jumped from here to there in order to dodge them.

The stranger had by this time pulled out his sword and leapt into the air, bringing it down onto the Golganike, who shrugged his efforts off and gabbed onto the blade of the sword, with the stranger hanging on by the handle. 

The beast laughed and began to shake the stranger left and right. Ikaya felt that this should give her enough time get into position. She ran toward one of the trees and climbed it as swiftly as ever. By this time the stranger had managed to slide the sword out of the monsters grip and proceeded to slash at its thick strong hide to no avail. 

Ikaya had taken her position atop the tree, ready to attack. She held the staff in front of her and began to spin it, with each spin sending more and more energy into it. 

The tips of the staff began to shine with what looked to be a green fire, growing larger and brighter with every rotation. 

Ikaya opened her eyes and whistled, drawing the Golganike's attention away from the stranger. Lifting her staff behind her, Ikaya leapt into the air and came down upon the beast, bringing the staff over her head and into the Golganike's, slashing all the way down to his legs, cutting the creature in half.

The Golganike's body fell to opposite sides as Ikaya landed in front of them. Instantly the body began to smoke, before shining for a second and turning into two leaves, which blew away in the wind. 

Ikaya brushed a tuft of hair aside and turned to face the stranger.

"Thank you very much for saving my life." he said.

Ikaya just glared at him.

"I am forever in your de.." he started, before Ikaya lunged forward.

The stranger had little time to react, but managed to bring his sword up in time to block Ikaya's staff. Ikaya quickly brought it back and continued to twist and twirl it, in an effort to strike the stranger. 

With every blow given by Ikaya, the stranger managed to block it. Ikaya began to get aggravated. Her best fighting moves seemed to do nothing against the stranger, who kept blocking every potential hit. She decided that perhaps she would need the aid of her jewel for this man, even if it was against her moral code to use such powers for anything but self defense.

Ikaya brought her staff around again bringing it down on the stranger just as she had before, and just like before the stranger brought his sword around in time to block the hit. Ikaya took her focus away from her staff and onto the strangers face, who seemed confused about the whole situation. 

She smiled and sent a large amount of energy shooting through the staff, which threw the sword out of the strangers hands and into one of the tree trunks. Ikaya brought the staff around again, tripping the stranger with it.

The stranger fell hard, bringing his head up slowly, just in time to see Ikaya's staff come at him, stopping just before it was to hit.


	3. Ch 2: Now is the Time

Disclaimer:

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only thing I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sliverwings: Just wanted to thank you for leaving a review. At least I know I'm not the only one reading my stories…so this chapter, (oh what the heck) the rest of this story is dedicated to you! Thanks again, and enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

** Chapter 2**

-

"Who are you!?" Ikaya screamed.

"Why are you doing this?" the stranger said.

"Who are you," she screamed again, "and why have you come to this forest!?"

"I have been wandering through these lands for some time, please I didn't mean to trespass." he said, as calmly as he could, considering he had a glowing staff an inch from his face.

Ikaya lost her stern look, 'he looks so tired' she thought.

"If I let you up will you promise not to attack?" she asked.

"You have my word." the stranger answered, staring straight into her blue eyes.

Ikaya began to lift her staff, stepping back from him slowly.

"Where are you from, stranger?"

"Nowhere that still exists." he said, getting up and brushing some dirt off of his robe. "And please, call me Jack."

"Pleased to meet you, Jack. My names Ikaya." she said, a small smile forming on her face as she tilted her head slightly, "How long have you been wandering by yourself?"

By this time Ikaya had stopped channeling energy into the staff, using it to lean against.

"I'm not sure, I have not been keeping time." he said, walking over to where his sword was stuck, trying to pull it out from the tree trunk.

"Your never going to get your sword out if you keep pulling it the way you are."

"Why is that?" Jack said, still pulling on the sword.

"That's a Cino tree. The bark closes around anything that pierces it, you need to pull it out a specific way."

Jack stopped pulling out the sword and let out a long sigh.

"You sound like my guardian."

"I'm sorry?"

"When you sigh like that, you sound like my guardian. He doesn't sigh as much as he used to, though." Ikaya said, giggling a bit.

Jack smiled back and then continued to try loosen the sword.

"Please, tell me, what was that thing that attacked us?" he managed to grunt out.

"That was a Golganike, they're tree sprites that mutate into those huge, nasty creatures when they get too close to the magic gem mines near here. That's why they turn to leaves when you kill them."

"Sprites?" Jack said, letting go of the sword and walking toward Ikaya.

"Yeah, funny how such small creatures could turn into something so deadly."

At that moment a group of Cakaroons hopped out from the brush around them, spears in hand and directed at Jack.

"What's going on?!" Ikaya said, surprised.

"Ikaya! What are you doing talking to that trespasser?" one of the Cakaroons yelled.

"He's not a trespasser, Leon, he just lost his way!"

"And you believed him!"

"I heard her tell him about the gem mines!" another Cakaroon yelled.

"Ikaya, is this true?" Leon yelled.

"Yes, but…"

"Excuse me," Jack said, stepping forward, "I did not mean to cause any trouble."

"It's too late for that, boys, tie his hands and take him to the village." Leon said, "Ikaya, we'll deal with you later!"

Ikaya stood back as the rest of the group disappeared into the forest, leading Jack toward their village.

The village was filled with whispers and speculation when the rest of the villagers laid eyes on the stranger.

"I heard he pretended to wander into the forest." one said.

"Well, I heard he tried to trick Ikaya into leading him to the gems."

"No, not Ikaya, she knows better."

"Munsoli will not be happy with this."

Jack was thrown into a cell that had been cut into the side of the mountain beside the village. A wooden hut had been constructed around it . He looked at his meager cell, nothing but a pile of hay in one corner and a small window that let the light shine in.

"You will stay in here until the council figures out what to do with you!" Leon said, lighting the lantern before leaving.

Jack sat down on the floor and folded his arms. He closed his eyes and began to clear his mind, trying to think of a way to get out when a soft voice broke his concentration.

"Did you really come for the gems?"

"No, Ikaya, I told you the truth when I said that I had wandered into your forest by accident."

Ikaya looked at Jack through the bars before sitting down on the floor.

"Here…" Ikaya said, handing him a bowl filled with berries and meat, "just in case your hungry."

"Why are you being so kind to me?"

"I know what its like to wander."

Jack looked down at the bowl.

"I'm sorry I got you into trouble."

"Don't worry, it wouldn't be the first time." Ikaya said, "…tell me, has Aku destroyed the cities near here?"

Jack closed his eyes and his face cringed at the sound of Aku's name. He turned and looked at Ikaya, who was resting her head on her knees. Her eyes were large and she looked like a small child, waiting for Jacks reply to her question.

"No, they're just as amazing as the largest city from my home land, yet they are full of wonders that I could never have imagined."

"What else, what of the lights that come from within them?" she said, fully interested in what he was telling her, which made Jack smile.

"The lights that come from within them could outshine the sun, and make it hard to tell if it is day or night…"

Jack went on for hours, into the early hours of the morning. Ikaya felt like she had before her mother left. Like a part of her mother was still alive in these stories that Jack was telling her, and it made her feel a sense of security that she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Ikaya! What are you doing here?!" Munsoli yelled, walking into the cell room just as the sun was about to rise.

"Um, I was just talking to…"

"The trespasser, Ikaya, your getting yourself into deeper and deeper trouble."

"Munsoli, I…"

"No child, no amount of negotiating will get you out of a punishment, go to your hut, I'll discuss this with you later."

"But…"

"Now, Ikaya!"

Ikaya flinched up straight, she'd never heard Munsoli use that tone before. She left the cell room, looking a little aggravated.

"Please sir, do not blame her, we were merely talking about..."

"Don't say a thing my boy….you see, I've been put into a very serious position." Munsoli said, letting out a soft sigh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ikaya had trudged the whole way to her hut, falling onto her bed and burying her face in her pillow.

"Ikaya…Ikaya are you in here?"

"Yes, Madame Miss, I'm here." Ikaya mumbled into the pillow.

Madame Miss was the eldest female Cakaroon in the village. She was a big woman who was in charge of all the chores around the village as well as preparing the food. She was also considered the patron of the village, and was often the one who helped the others through their problems that weren't important enough for the council.

Her old face was full of love and even though Ikaya was happy to see her, she didn't feel like seeing anyone at the moment.

"So, child. I see Munsoli caught you in the cell hut." Madame Miss said, sitting down at the foot of the bed.

"Yeah…" Ikaya said.

"Don't be angry with him. He has a certain role to follow as the eldest, no one is immune to our ways child…not even you."

"But Jack was telling the truth, he doesn't want our gems, and he definitely doesn't work for Aku. He made this face when I mentioned his name. You can't fake that kind of disgust."

"So the stranger has a name." Madame Miss said, in an 'as a matter of fact' sort of tone.

"Well…yeah." Ikaya fell back against the wall, blushing at her insinuation.

"You've grown up so quickly child, it seems like it was just yesterday that you and your mother came to this village…I suppose that it's about time I give you this."

Madame Miss reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a bundle of letters.

"What's this?"

"These are letters from your mother. She managed to send them to my hut somehow."

"You mean my mother's still alive!?" Ikaya said, looking up at Madame Miss.

"Perhaps, they stopped coming a couple of months ago."

"Why didn't you ever give them to me?"

"Your mother left strict orders in the first one, I wasn't allowed to give them to you until I was sure you were ready."

"Ready for what?"

"To leave our village."

Ikaya's eyes grew large, she knew that leaving the village was a final thing. No one was ever able to return after leaving the village because of a spell Munsoli had put over the forest that surrounds it in an effort to keep Aku from stealing the gems for his own evil purposes.

"Madame Miss I can't leave, even if it means that I might find my mother, I could never leave Munsoli, or you." she said leaning forward.

"Ikaya," Madame Miss started, taking her hand, "the council has decided to execute your friend."

"What?!"

"At nightfall, they feel that he is a risk, and they think this is the only way to deal with it."

"They can't do that, we've never executed any of the trespassers before!"

"They've made up their minds. He dies tonight, according to law."

Ikaya sat back against the wall again, hugging her pillow. She didn't know what to do and especially didn't know what to do about Jack.

"Oh, child…" Madame Miss said, putting her hand behind Ikaya's head.

"I'm scared, Madame Miss. I don't want Jack to get hurt, but I won't be able to stay if I help him escape, and I don't want to leave."

"I can't tell you what to do, ultimately, it's your choice, and you have to be strong to face its outcome."

Madame Miss walked out of the hut, leaving Ikaya.

"I can't do this, I can't be strong…on my own..." Ikaya whispered, laying down and falling asleep.

The day had passed slowly. Jack had been reduced to drawing pictures in the sand, awaiting his immanent doom. The moon had begun to rise when he got up and looked out the window. Nothing but mountain and forest.

Jack stepped back and sat down against the cell door, letting out a long sigh.

"You sound like my guardian." came a voice from behind him, just as a sword blade was slowly pushed through the metal bars.

"You got the sword out?!" Jack said, turning to face Ikaya.

"I told you, you have to pull it out a certain way."

Ikaya reached into the bag at her side and pulled out a key.

"Where'd you get that?" Jack asked, returning his sword to its sheath.

"I stole it from Leon… hurry, we have to get out of here before he notices the keys are missing."

She opened the door and the two of them weaved in and out from behind huts and other things until they were able to escape through the forest.

"I think we're far enough from the village." Ikaya said, when they were deep in the woods.

"I can not thank you enough for saving my life. I am forever in your debt." Jack said, bowing. "Now if you excuse me, I must continue on my journey."

Jack turned and began to walk away from Ikaya.

She stood, fiddling with a strand of her hair. Ikaya looked back at the faint light that was her village and then back toward Jack, who was getting further and further away from her.

"Take me with you…" she managed to blurt out just before he disappeared fully.

"What?"

"Take me with you, I know it's a lot to ask, but I can't go back to the village. Not now that I've helped you to escape, and not when my mother might still be alive."

"Ikaya, I wish I could let you come with me, but Aku is constantly sending his minions to destroy me. It's too dangerous."

"Please, you won't have to bother yourself with me. I can take care of myself. I mean I managed to get your sword away from you…please."

"Yes, but I still don't think it's a good ide…"

"I can cook almost anything, Madame Miss taught me, and I can fix almost everything too, Leon taught me that."

Jack looked at Ikaya. Her face had a desperation on it, like she knew she had to leave no matter what, but she was too afraid to go on alone.

"Come on, we had better get going." Jack said.

Ikaya's face lit up. She was ready to face what the unknown world had to offer her, to face what creatures she would have to fight to search for her mother, but most importantly, onto a destiny that she was sure she was strong enough to face, as long as Jack was by her side.  
Login » FanFiction FictionPress Google Facebook Twitter  
Favorite: Story Author | Follow: Story Author Save  
Share: Google . Facebook . Twitter . Tumblr  
Blog . Twitter . Privacy Policy . Terms of Service . Ads . Help . Top


	4. Ch 3: Into the World

** Disclaimer:**

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only thing I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Shout-outs**

Sorry it took so long for me to write the next chapters, but writers block is finicky that way and no matter what I wrote I just didn't like it…I'm just glad I finally wrote one I like.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

** Chapter 3**

-

The sun seemed to rise slower. They had only been walking through the forest for a couple hours but it seemed like a lifetime to Ikaya. This had been the first time she had been more than a few miles from the village since her and her mother decided to make it their permanent residence.

"Are you all right?" Jack asked, looking down at her as they walked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking." she said, giving him a smile.

He smiled back and returned his attention ahead of them.

Ikaya continued to stare at Jack. His features were accented against the rays of the sun rising in the east. She couldn't believe that he had allowed her to accompany him on his quest.

"We are almost to the edge of the forest." he said, breaking her concentration.

Ikaya turned her head toward a clearing in the trees. As they walked out of the forest they came face to face with a vast meadow that surrounded the forest.

Jack walked out of the forest leaving Ikaya where she stood.

"What is the matter?" he asked.

"Nothing, it's just, I can't feel my legs." she said, staring back at him, "I don't know if I can do it."

"Give me your hand, one step at a time."

Jack extended his hand to her. Ikaya stared at it for a while, and biting her lip took his hand and proceeded to walk out of the forest just as Jack had said, one step at a time.

"See, it was not too difficult." Jack said when they finally made it out into the meadow.

"Yeah, I guess you're…" Ikaya said before she was interrupted by a soft sort of quiet whistle, almost like a whisper.

She turned and as she did the forest began to fade. Getting fainter and fainter until there was nothing left but meadow, as if the forest she had been living in since childhood had never existed at all.

Ikaya walked toward where the forest had once been. She turned and stared at Jack, who was behind her, not knowing exactly what to say.

"I am sorry, Ikaya."

Ikaya's eyes were sad but she quickly managed to get out a faint smile before looking at the land that surrounded them.

"Where are we, Jack?" Ikaya whispered.

The meadow swayed left and right with the wind. The tall dried vegetation glistened in the sun as it moved, making it seem as if it were a vast yellow lake that seemed to go on forever.

"We are in the meadow I was walking through on my way to the nearest city."

"City!" Ikaya said, her eyes growing large again.

"Yes," Jack said smiling at Ikaya's excitement, "I believe it was supposed to be…this way."

Jack began to head north while Ikaya walked a foot behind him, looking over her shoulder at the spot where the forest had once been.

The sun was brighter than it had been in the forest, Ikaya thought that it was probably because there were no trees in the meadow. Small animals scurried in and out through the brush as they passed. The air even smelled different.

Ikaya ran to walk next to Jack.

"Is the rest of the world like this?" she asked.

"Some of it is, but most of it is quite different, and sometimes a little unpleasant."

"Oh…" Ikaya said, looking to the floor.

Jack and Ikaya walked on, toward the city talking about whatever came into their minds, completely unaware of the two eyes that had been closely watching them since Jack had entered the forest.

Not too far behind a small black creature veered in and out of the brush, being sure to keep just far enough for them not to notice before scurrying away toward his masters palace.

The sun eventually began to set, and Jack decided that it was best if they built a fire and rested for the night.

Ikaya reached into her bag and pulled out some fruit she had taken from the forest, which she tossed at Jack, and the bundle of letters that Madame Miss had given her. She held them in her hands and stared at them, not really knowing if she wanted to read them just yet.

"What are those?" Jack finally asked, taking a bite of the juicy fruit Ikaya had given him.

"They're letters from my mother I was just recently given. I almost don't want to read them."

"Why not?"

"I'm afraid of what they might tell me."

"My mother used to tell me that problems are sometimes easier to deal with when you go through them with another…perhaps if you read them aloud, so you don't have to face the news alone." Jack said, a soft smile on his face.

Ikaya smiled back and pulled out the first letter. She began to read it out loud, quietly at first.

'My dearest Raindrop,

If you are reading this then that means that you've taken the advice that Madame Miss has given you and left the village. I know that it wasn't an easy choice, but I'm sure that you will be able to make it in the world outside the forest. Knowing my little girl you managed to make at least one friend out in the world. You were always very good at making friends.

I'm sure you are wondering why I left you under Munsoli's care. The truth is my child, I was trying to protect you. We were being tracked down, I left to try and lead them away from you, and the power you posses from your jewel. There are men and women out in the world who would use your gifts for evil. You must do everything in your power to keep that from happening. Fight and protect yourself from those who would hurt you, so that we may someday be re-united. I love you Ikaya.

Your Mother'

Ikaya folded the letter and placed it with the rest back into her sack.

"Ikaya…" Jack said.

"I'd forgotten that she called me raindrop." Ikaya finally said.

Ikaya looked up at Jack, she was smiling.

"Why did she?" Jack asked.

"She used to tell me a story. Of how she and my father had been wandering through a city during a massive storm the night that I was born. They were given shelter by an old man and woman who owned a blacksmith shop, and when I was born she said the skies quieted and there was nothing but a light shower in its place."

"So you were the force that brought the wind to its knees." Jack said.

"That's what I thought when I was young...it made me feel invincible. Like I really could control the weather."

Ikaya raised her arms to the sky and fell back on the ground. They both laughed. Ikaya began to stare at the stars. She had never seen so many before.

"What were your father and mother like?" Jack asked, laying down so their heads were next to each other and their bodies pointed in opposite directions.

Ikaya's smile faded. She squinted her eyes, searching through the memories of her parents.

"My mother was my world. We wandered until I was six or seven, when Munsoli let us stay in the village. She taught me everything I know…how to take care of myself, how to take care of others. She was even the person who taught me how to fight."

"She must have been a great warrior." Jack said.

"She was…she left the village when I was eight, gosh that seems like so long ago, but it's only been twelve years."

Jack turned his head and looked at Ikaya, who turned hers to his.

"What about your father?" he asked.

"My father was a sort of sorcerer," she said, looking up toward the sky, "he left us a few weeks after I was born. Even though I was so young I still have one memory of him. I remember him holding me with my mother by his side, he was smiling and talking about how I would amount to the greatest of things. My mother told me that I inherited my jewel from him."

"He had a jewel as well?"

"No, she said that he would place his hand on my mothers belly before I was born and his hand would glow with a green light. She wasn't sure what it was, but he told her it was so I would be protected. When I was born I had the jewel in my chest... I understand why I can't remember what my father looked like, but it's been getting harder and harder for me to remember…my mothers face."

Ikaya looked at Jack again, her eyes had a sad stare to them, which she quickly managed to mask with a smile.

"How about your parents, Jack? What were they like?"

Jack was a bit surprised at how quickly Ikaya was able to hide her emotions, but he managed to keep from showing his.

"My mother and father were great rulers of the land I was born in. They were wise and strong. I left to train and when I returned Aku had taken the land for his own evil reign and enslaved everyone, including my parents."

"Is that why you have such hatred for him?"

"Not hatred," Jack said, pushing the embers in the fire around with a stick, "simply disgust. I wish to somehow return to my home, so I can put Aku's future reign to a stop."

"You're amazing Jack," Ikaya said sitting up, "Aku has given you all the reason in the world to despise his very existence and yet you choose not to."

"Is that a bad thing?" Jack said, moving his body so he was on his stomach.

"No…it's honorable. I doubt I could do the same if Aku took my life away from me. I doubt I could have that kind of compassion."

They sat staring at each other for a few seconds.

"It is getting late, we should get to sleep if we are going to reach the city tomorrow."

Jack turned over again and began to fall asleep when he felt something covering him. He opened his eyes and saw Ikaya holding a cape over him.

"I brought an extra one, in case you need it." she said, a soft smile on her face.

"Thank you." he said

Ikaya walked over to where her bag was and laid down next to it, covering herself with her own cape.

"The stars really are beautiful, aren't they?" she said, before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

-

The next day Jack and Ikaya were awakened by a low rumbling sound. They both sat up and looked all around, trying to see where the source of it was.

"What's that noise?" Ikaya said.

Jack didn't say a word, by this time he was standing up in a defensive position preparing for whatever it was that was making the sound, which was coming closer.  
Just then a large man on a motorcycle came flying over them. Landing where the fire had been.

"WHOOO-WHEE!" he yelled just as another motorcycle came flying through the air, this time with a woman on it.

"Look out!" Jack screamed, pushing Ikaya out of the way before it landed with a loud thud right where she was sitting.

The man was large, and had a thick black mustache and goatee. His hair was pulled back in a tight braid, and his eyes were covered by big black sunglasses. His motorcycle was red and glistened like fire in the sun. The woman's head was shaved except for brown thick bangs that covered her eyes completely. Her bike was blue and looked as if it were made from water. They were both wearing leather jackets and pants with huge black boots.

"Well, looks like we've overstayed our welcome again. Shall we go sugar pie?" the man said to the woman.

"After you, my dear." she followed.

The man reached down and picked up Ikaya's bag.

"Thanks for the parting gift." He said before they both began to speed away.

Ikaya's face filled with anger. She grabbed her staff and began to chase after the two thieves on the motorcycles.

"Ikaya!" Jack yelled.

"My mothers letters are in that bag!" Ikaya yelled back.

Ikaya's jewel began to glow as she sent its energy into her staff, which began to glow like it had before. Shots of green electricity surged around it.

"The girls following us." the woman said, looking back.

"Don't worry, she'll never catch us."

Ikaya picked up speed and pulled her staff back. She threw it hard toward the two bikers. The staff soared past their heads and imbedded itself in the ground in front of them before shooting out a large energy blast, thrusting the two bikers and their bikes into the air making them land violently beside Ikaya.

Jack, who had been a few feet behind her stood in awe.

Ikaya raised her hand into the air. Her staff un-lodged itself from where it landed and glided back to Ikaya's palm. She bent down and took her bag from the man, who was moaning as he lay on the floor.

Jack could do nothing but stare. Not only was Ikaya a great warrior, but she also had immense power, who's extent seemed endless.

Ikaya quickly searched through her bag as she walked up to Jack, who still had a surprised look on his face.

"What?" she asked, just as the sound of a gun being cocked came from behind her.

"I'll tell you what! How the hell did you do that, you witch!" the woman said, her gun shaking.

"Awe, come on, Rocky." the man said, getting up and making her lower her gun, "If you don't mind me saying, ma'am. That was amazing! I'm Blitz, and this here's my girlfriend, Rocky."

The man extended his hand to them. Jack and Ikaya found themselves a bit confused.

"Um, I'm Ikaya, and this is Jack." she said, both of them reaching out their hand.

"Well pleased to meet you both. Sorry about trying to steal your stuff. It's just what we outlaws do best."

"Yeah, and sorry about pulling that gun on you." Rocky said, putting hers back in it's holster.

"She's a little uneasy sometimes." Blitz said while Rocky gave him a childish smile.

"All is forgiven." Ikaya said.

"So where are you two headed?" Rocky asked.

"We are headed toward the city that I was told was near here." Jack said.

"Well aint that a kick in the pants, so are we!" Blitz said, "Mind if we give you a lift, it's the least we could do for stealing your bag earlier. Are the bikes still workin'?"

Rocky picked up their bikes from the ground and turned them on with a loud roar. Making Jack and Ikaya cover their ears.

"Sure sounds like it."

"Good, Jack you ride with Rocky and ma'am, you hitch a ride with me."

"Blitz, was it?" Ikaya said, when he was handing her his extra helmet.

"Yes ma'am, what is it?"

"What's the name of the city that we're headed to?"

Blitz looked over at her and gave her a big mischievous smile through his thick beard.

Before they knew it Jack and Ikaya were riding on the backs of Rocky's and Blitz's bikes, heading straight for the city of Hellbound, and the motorcycle gang rally that was being held there.


	5. Ch 4: Into the City

**Disclaimer:**

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only thing I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

**Shout-outs**

Again, I'm sooo sorry for taking so long to continue…so I hope the fact that I've posted three chapters makes up for it, even though I know it doesn't. :P

Thanks to Canyon315 and, as always, Silverwings for posting reviews! And a special bow for Hikaru, who drew a beautiful picture for me! I swear, I nearly cried when I saw it!

Also wanted to say that yes, I do have pictures about my fanfic (well mostly about my fanfic)

Here's the address: ?member=icedancer

WARNING, it does give away plot points in the fic, so if you would rather be surprised, don't go there.

Back to talking about the story. This part has a little more cussing than usual, you've been warned, so on with the show!

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

**Chapter 4**

Deep within the dark castle, flowing from wall to wall, the black creature quickly made his way to his masters throne room, slowly pushing the doors open just enough to peek his head in.

His master sat with his head resting on one of his hands. The other was sprawled on one of the arms of the throne. His large black fingers moving over it in boredom.

"Master Aku, I have some news of the samurai." the creature said, kneeling in front of his evil master.

"Yes, shadow demon, what is it?" Aku said, lifting his head from where it rested, his expression unchanging.

"I followed the samurai through the disappearing forest…"

"So you know where the forest is that holds the magic gem mines!?" Aku said, leaning forward, a large evil smile on his face.

"Yes master…"

"FINALLY!" Aku yelled, interrupting the demon, "Now I will be able to reach the full powers that I was always meant to have!"

"Um, master…" the demon said, trying to get his attention.

"The world will feel a wrath like no other!" the evil smile getting bigger.

"Master Aku…"

"I will show the world the true evil, that is AKU!" Aku said, standing and raising his arms toward the sky in triumph.

"M-master Aku."

"Yes, shadow demon, I will not forget who led me to my ultimate being, now tell me, where is the forest located?"

"It disappeared, Master Aku, after I followed the samurai out of it, a-and it will not appear in the same place again."

Aku's smile faded, a frown took it's place as he sat back down in his throne, his eyes looking straight ahead.

"This news does not please me, shadow demon. In fact it ANGERS ME!" he yelled, flames shooting up around where the shadow demon now shook in fear.

"He did not leave the forest alone!" the demon yelled, trying his best to keep from getting burned.

"What?" Aku said, making the inferno disappear.

"He had a woman with him."

"A woman…Ha! It seems the samurai is more of a man than I thought." he said laughing.

"She is able to beat the samurai in combat, my lord."

Aku stopped laughing. He looked down at the demon who was looking up at him with its large gray eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I witnessed the battle myself. Her skills are amazing and she has immense powers."

"So, she used these powers to beat the Samurai?"

"Not until the very end, my lord. I'm sure that if she had wanted to, she could have beat him without using them at all."

Aku began to laugh again, this time his evil laughs filled his castle with its horrible tone, making the walls shake around them.

"This woman has just become more of a commodity to me than I first thought. Shadow demon, go and track them, when they have been found contact me with this," Aku said, handing the demon a large shard of a broken mirror, "then I will see if this woman is indeed worth all that you make her to be."

The shadow demon bowed and scurried away to search for the samurai and the warrior, like his master had instructed.

Aku fell back into his thrown again. He brought his hand up to his face and thought deeply about what the demon had said. 'A woman who is able to beat the samurai' he thought.

"I wonder…" he whispered to himself.

"You mean to tell me that you've never been to a city?" Blitz yelled to Ikaya as they noisily made their way toward Hellbound on his motorcycle, Jack and Rocky riding behind them.

"Not since a few weeks after I was born." Ikaya yelled, trying her best to make sure he could hear over the noise of his motorcycle.

"Well, Hellbound isn't really the best first city to come back to, ma'am. But at least it'll be interesting."

Ikaya's eyes grew a little wider, she hoped Blitz was just trying to scare her and what he was saying wasn't true…even though she already knew it was.

She looked over her shoulder at Rocky and Jack. Jack was looking a little embarrassed at having to hold on to Rocky's waist and his face was a little red, but he still managed to give her a small smile so she knew he was okay.

"So, how long have you two been together?" Blitz asked, looking over his shoulder too.

"Three days." she yelled.

"What was it that interested you about him?"

"What?"

"How did you two meet?"

"He was attacked by a monster and after I killed it, I attacked him."

"Reminds me of how Rocky and I started dating, sigh, the best mugging of my life!" Blitz yelled, a big smile on his face.

"What does 'dating' mean?" Ikaya asked.

"You really aren't from the city, are you. Hmm, it means, being exclusive… not seeing anyone else."

Ikaya stared at him, still as confused as ever.

"It's usually the step before you see if you and another person are perfect for marriage."

"MARRIAGE! No, Jack and I aren't…dating." Ikaya yelled. "I'm helping him find his way home and he's helping me search for my mother."

"OOH, sorry about the mix-up, ma'am. It's just, the way I noticed you two looking at each other." Blitz yelled.

"It's okay." Ikaya yelled back, thinking about what he said.

"We're here!" Rocky yelled from behind them.

They quickly rode over the hills just outside the city and eventually came face to face with the most amazing sight Ikaya had ever seen.

Buildings that grew taller than any tree she could imagine shot out from the ground for miles and miles. The sun shined from behind them for only a second before another grand building covered it. The faint sounds of people, music, and the smell of food reached out to them.

Ikaya sat in awestruck amazement at what she was seeing as they got closer.

"I-I've never seen anything like it." She finally managed to get out.

"Wait till you see what's inside of it." Blitz said, as they ventured into the city.

People walked all around them while the group made their way through the streets. Their clothes were a bit unusual, but Ikaya felt they were just as amazing as the city itself. The streets were littered with machines of all different shapes and sizes. Ikaya's face lit up with excitement as they passed each one. She pointed at all the hover cars that flew through the skyways overhead and everything else that caught her eye.

Jack smiled while he watched Ikaya's excitement at everything around her.

"She's a cute one isn't she?" Rocky said, looking over her shoulder to him.

"What…well, yes, I suppose." Jack said, clearing his throat.

"You suppose!? I'd think that if a man was traveling with a woman like that, well, you know." Rocky said, shooting Jack a wink.

"Um…I doubt Ikaya would allow such a thing."

"So, you've wanted to?"

"WHAT! I, NO, I…" Jack yelled, his face turning a bright red.

"HA HA, I'm just messin' with you blushy…" Rocky laughed before her voice got quiet and serious, "you respect her…that's good. That's always good."

The four of them rode deeper and deeper into the city, going further into it until they came to a lot filled with bikers and their bikes. Men and women with the same build as Blitz and Rocky, and some without, stood by their bikes staring at them as they passed. Their eyes burning straight into the unknown guests that sat on the back of Blitz's and Rocky's bikes.

They eventually found a place to park and dismounted the motorcycles, Ikaya and Jack stood back, feeling a little out of place.

"Why do you think they're looking at us like that?" Ikaya whispered to Jack.

"I do not know, perhaps they feel that we do not belong here." Jack said.

"HEY! WHAT'S EVERYONES PROBLEM , HUH!" Rocky yelled, startling everyone around her.

"Calm down, Rocky." Blitz said, "What's the matter with you all? I thought this was supposed to be a biker convention!"

"What the hell are they doing here?!" A man with the same build as Blitz said in a raspy voice, pointing at Jack and Ikaya.

"They're just friends that we picked up on the way, didn't think it would be that much of a problem, Slash."

Slash was a tall brown haired man with the same body type as Blitz. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail and his face looked as if it hadn't been shaved in weeks. His old jacket was covered with spikes and his boots had steel over the tip of the toes.

"No outsiders, remember! They don't belong here, that rule applies to everyone, even the great Blitz and Rocky."

"Awe, I don't know, boss." a short fat man said, walking toward Ikaya, "The red-head's a real looker."

He leaned into her and began to reach his arm around her waist.

"Keep your distance, it is not polite to get so close!" Jack said, stepping in between them, hitting his hand to the side.

"What the…who's this jerk!?" the short man said, pulling out a gun and aiming it at Jack.

All the other bikers began to pull out their weapons, ready in case a fight broke out.

"Dusty!" Slash yelled, "See why we don't allow outsiders! They've already started a fight with one of my men!"

"From what I saw, Dusty started it." Blitz said.

"Yeah, quit being such an ass-hole, Slash." Rocky said, leaning up against her bike, lighting a cigarette.

The other bikers began to laugh hysterically at Rocky's remark and put their guns away.

Slash grinded his teeth, his face turning red in anger.

"Come on, Dusty!" he said, turning away.

"But boss…"

"I SAID COME ON!" Slash yelled, grabbing onto the back of Dusty's leather vest and pulling him away.

All the other bikers continued to laugh, and eventually began to talk and yell to one another as if the whole incident had never happened.

"Are you all right, Ikaya?" Jack asked, turning to her.

"I'm fine, thank you Jack." Ikaya said before leaning to Rocky, "Who was that?"

"Oh, that was just Slash. He's always given Blitz an' me a hard time." she said.

"He's been a little jealous of the recognition Rocky and I got. The little guy's a member of his gang." Blitz followed

"Well, this party got old fast. I think we've been here long enough." Rocky said, stretching.

"My thoughts exactly, how about we show Jack and Ikaya here a good time in the city, away from all these grimy bikers, what'ya say?"

Ikaya's face lit up.

"I'd really like that." She said.

They all got back on the motorcycles and quickly drove off, through the crowd and back into the city, un-noticed by everyone, except for Slash and his gang.

Slash sat next to his bike, his right hand man Lynch stood next to him, with the rest of his gang, Trey, Ash, and Dusty, standing around them.

"Look at them riding off like that." Ash said.

"Yeah, like they're too good for us." Trey followed.

"Not to mention that stupid red-headed bitch. She doesn't know a good man when she sees one." Dusty said, still a little embarrassed.

"From what I saw, that black haired guy was a good man, better than you anyway." Trey said while he and Ash began to laugh at Dusty.

"Shut up! Everyone!" Slash finally said, never taking his eyes off of the direction they had ridden off into.

"Boss," Lynch finally said, "that was the samurai Aku has a big reward on."

"I thought so." Slash said.

"Hey Boss, if we bring 'The Robe', Blitz, and Rocky in we'll not only get rid of those pains in the asses, but we'll also get a heap o' money that'll last us the rest of our lives!" Trey said.

"Yeah, but what about the red-head?" Ash asked.

"I'm sure Dusty here could find a good use for her, and I bet he wouldn't mind sharing with the rest of you." Slash said, getting up and mounting his bike, "Come on, we got ourselves some fish to catch!"

With that Slash let out a loud cry as the gang sped away, in pursuit of Blitz, Rocky, Jack, and Ikaya.


	6. Ch 5: A Warning and a Brawl

**Disclaimer:**

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only thing I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Shout-outs**

Could have tried harder on this chapter, but it keeps the story going…it gets really good after this one, I promise!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

** Chapter 5**

-

The group walked up one of the main streets. Stopping every now and then so Ikaya and Rocky could look inside the stores, while Jack and Blitz followed a few feet behind.

"You know, Rocky's one tough chick, but when it comes to shopping she turns into the same type of girl she beat up in high school." Blitz said.

"Does this shopping usually last this long, I'm a little thirsty?" Jack asked.

"With Rocky it does, I'm just surprised she hasn't bought anything yet."

"Hey," Rocky said, "are you two talking about us?"

"Just a little." Blitz followed.

"Well good, I still have you in my control then!"

"Wow, Rocky!" Ikaya yelled, "Look at these music boxes!"

"Wow, they're really pretty! We're going in here, guys!"

"I better go too. Don't want you buying a bulk of these things again. Hey Jack, here's some money, there's a stand over at the corner that sells drinks." Blitz said, following the girls into the store.

Jack went and got his drink and began to walk back when he heard the sound of feet shuffling behind him.

He turned to see a short, old woman in a dark cloak hobbling behind him on a wooden cane. Jack stared down at her while she raised her head to stare back.

"You're lost are you not?" she said, in her old voice.

"No, I'm actually here with others."

"I'm talking about from your home, child."

Jack stiffened and dropped his drink.

"How did you know!?" he asked.

"I've always known, child. I also know that you cannot return, for it is a place that is hard to get back to."

"Do you know how I can get back?"

"I'm sorry child, but I do know who does. There is a mountain, a few miles east from the city. At the very top, there is a palace made of ice, where an oracle resides. The oracle will know the answer to your question."

"Thank you, you do not know how important this is to me." Jack said, bowing and turning.

The woman grabbed onto Jack's kimono.

"A warning, child. In order to reach the top you must travel through the 'Pass of Betrayal'."

"Pass of Betrayal?" Jack said.

"It is a cursed path, that should only be traveled alone. For it renders travelers insane with rage, and they turn on their companions, destroying each…"

"Jack? Jack, who're you talking to?" Ikaya said, walking over to them, followed by Blitz and Rocky.

The woman let go of Jack's Kimono and began to back away. Fear spread across her face as she looked up at Ikaya.

"What is it?" Jack asked the woman.

"Hell spawn…creature of evil!" the woman said, pointing up at Ikaya.

"What, I'm not…" Ikaya said, surprised.

"STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY!" the woman yelled as she turned and ran down the street, disappearing through an alley way.

They watched the woman disappear before turning to Ikaya.

"I am sorry, Ikaya." Jack said, putting his hand on her arm.

"Don't be," she said, turning, causing Jack's hand to brush off, "it wouldn't be the first time I've heard screams like that."

Ikaya turned and began to walk down the street in the direction of where the motorcycles were parked.

"Is she okay?" Rocky asked.

"She suffered the same cruelty when she was young." Jack said, following Ikaya, "It is why she has not been within a city's boundaries since she was born."

"Poor girl, hard to believe such a cheerful person could be holding in such pain." Blitz said, heading in the same direction with Rocky right behind him.

Just then they heard Ikaya scream from around the corner.

"Ikaya!" Jack yelled, unsheathing his sword and running toward the noise.

"Come on, he might need our help!" Rocky said, chasing after Jack and pulling out two guns.

They turned the corner and came face to face with Slash and his gang. Ikaya was being held in one of Lynch's strong arm, the other was holding onto her bag which had her staff poking out of it.

"Let her go, Slash!" Blitz yelled.

"Drop your guns, and tell bath robe here to drop the sword!" Dusty yelled.

The two groups stared at each other, no one dared to make a move.

"We mean it!" Slash yelled, "Either you drop your weapons or we get rid of Red!"

Lynch tightened his hold on Ikaya, who let out a gasp of pain.

"Slash stop it…" Rocky yelled as Jack raised his hand up to stop her.

Jack tossed his sword to the ground, followed by a confused Blitz and Rocky, who dropped their guns to the floor. Ash and Trey jumped off their bikes and picked up the weapons from the floor and tying their hands behind their backs with rope.

"If you hurt her…" Jack started.

"You'll what? Besides, you're the ones we wanted. Red here's just a consolation prize. Don't worry, Dusty here'll take real good care of her." Ash said, walking in front of Jack.

"I'm sure Aku will give us a heap of money for the three of you!" Trey said.

Jack's eyes narrowed. Ikaya looked at her friends, worry on her face just as Dusty began to caress her chin.

"Don't worry Sweet-heart, daddies here!" Dusty said, a sinister smile on his face, "Why don't you let her go, Lynch. I'm sure I can handle sweet pea here."

Lynch looked down at Dusty.

"Go ahead, Lynch." Slash said.

Lynch nodded and dropped Ikaya into Dusty, who grabbed onto her wrists and brought her close to his face. She took a quick glance back at Lynch before returning her gaze to Dusty.

"You know, I think I've fallen in love with you." he said.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"For what?"

Ikaya brought her leg back and kneed Dusty in the stomach. As he let go of her wrists she jumped off his head and flipped over Lynch, grabbing onto her staff and hitting him hard in the head with the end of it.

"Get her you idiots!" Slash yelled, while the three of them took out their guns and began shooting at Ikaya, who's jewel began to glow as she was trying her best to dodge the bullets.

Ikaya threw her staff at Jack's sword on the floor and knocking it into the air. Jack turned so the blade of the falling sword cut his ropes off.

"What the hell is she?!" Ash yelled.

"That jewel on her chest is glowing and she's dodging all the bullets!" Trey followed.

"Just keep shooting!" Slash yelled before he noticed that the gunfire of his gun was the only sound her heard.

Slash turned and saw Trey and Ash lying on the ground, unconscious. Blitz and Rocky standing over them with their guns pointed at him, Jack standing in front of them, his sword at his side.

"Ikaya?" Jack yelled, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Ikaya said, walking past Dusty, who was still curled on the floor.

"Ikaya, your bleeding!" Rocky yelled.

Jack turned to Ikaya. She had a gash on her cheek from where a bullet had graced her face. Blood pouring out of the wound.

Jack's eyes widened. He grabbed onto Slash's collar and brought the blade of his sword up to his throat.

"I told you, if you hurt her!" He yelled, his face filled with anger while Slash's face took on pure fear.

"Jack!" Ikaya shouted, "Don't hurt him!"

Jack glanced at Ikaya, she had a gentle look on her face while she walked to him and placed her hands on his.

"Let him go, Jack, so we can leave."

Jack looked down at her hands. They were scratched, and streaked with the blood from her face. He closed his eyes and hit Slash hard on the head with the handle of his sword, knocking him out instantly.

"Thank you, Jack." Ikaya said, picking up her staff and walking over to where her bag was.

Jack stood up and returned his sword to it's sheath. Rocky walked passed him to where Ikaya stood.

"She'll be fine." Blitz said, walking to Jack's side, "See, Rocky's helping her clean up a bit. Aside from a scar, she'll be as good as new."

"It's not her I am worried about." Jack said, "I have never acted like that before. I do not know what came over me."

"I do."

Jack looked up at Blitz.

"You will too, come on. Let's head out of here."

The four of them rode the motorcycles out of the city, heading east toward where Jack said the old woman had told him to go.

When they had gotten to the base of the mountain, Jack and Ikaya got off of the motorcycles. The two of them ready to say goodbye to their new friends.

"It was nice meeting you guys." Rocky said.

"Thank you so much for everything you and Blitz have done for us." Ikaya said.

"Yes, I do not know how we can repay you for your kindness." Jack followed.

"Think nothing of it." Blitz said.

Ikaya gave him a hug and went over to Rocky.

"Oh, and Jack…" Blitz said, shaking Jack's hand, "Take care of Ikaya, or I'll come after you."

"I will Blitz, you can be sure of that."

"See ya, Ikaya. Later, Blushy!" Rocky said, just as they turned and rode their motorcycles off into the distance.

"Blushy?" Ikaya said.

Jack sighed as he put his hand over his face. Ikaya just laughed and turned toward the mountain behind them.

"So why are we here?" she asked.

"There is a palace at the top of this mountain where an oracle is said to reside. I was told that they might know how I can get home, and they might know where your mother is."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry up and get to the top!" Ikaya said, walking ahead.

Jack smiled and followed her up the mountain, unaware that they were again being watched.

The shadow demon watched them walk up the mountain and disappear before pulling out the shard of mirror.

"Master Aku, Master Aku…" He said, into it.

The shard began to shake in his hand until a dark cloud flew out of it, and formed into Aku himself.

"Master Aku, is that you?"

"Of course it is." He said.

"I've found the samurai and the woman, they're right up that mountain path!"

Aku just stood, staring at the mountain before him.

"Why don't you go after them, master?" the shadow demon asked, "they are not too far ahead."

"Because this mountain is protected, by magic greater than my own."

"What! There is magic greater than yours!"

"Yes shadow demon, I am very lucky that this magic cannot be used away from the mountain, or I would have been destroyed ages ago."

"But how are we going to catch them?"

"I know where they will appear next, come shadow demon!" Aku said, turning into a large vulture, "We will wait for them there!"

The shadow demon got onto Aku's back and they flew off, to wait for Jack and Ikaya.


	7. Ch 6: Distrust

**Disclaimer:**

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only thing I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes**

Nothing much to say right now, 'cept that this chapter has a wee bit o' nudity in it, nothing sexual though, so if you're worried, don't be. If this were a movie, you wouldn't see anything. So with that said, READ ON!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

** Chapter 6**

Jack and Ikaya had been walking up the side of the mountain for hours. The path they followed went from being fully surrounded by trees, to being so rocky they had to climb, to being bombarded with snow and strong winds. Which is the condition they were venturing through right now.

The wind howled as they slowly made their way toward the top. The cloaks that Ikaya had brought gave little protection from the cold. The strands of hair that managed to escape their hoods was blowing in every direction with the wind.

They hadn't said a word to each other since they started walking up the mountain. Jack looking over at Ikaya every few minutes. The gash on her cheek had already begun to heal, because of her jewel, he thought. The scar in it's place was deep, and noticeable.

"What's the matter?" Ikaya said, realizing that Jack was staring at her again.

"Nothing." he said, looking straight ahead.

Jack felt that it was his fault that Ikaya had gotten the scar on her face. Like he had failed her in some way and now every time he looked at her he would be reminded of his shame.

'How could I let this happen to her? She could have been killed! Why does this bother me so much, she's alive, so why do I feel such disgrace?' Jack thought.

"Jack, look!" Ikaya said, walking over to an old broken sign that was covered in snow.

The main part of the sign lie on the floor, most likely torn from its post by the strong winds.

Ikaya picked it up and brushed away the snow. The letters were almost completely rubbed off but were still vaguely readable.

"What does it say?" Jack asked.

"It's hard to read some of the words." Ikaya said, " 'Beware, none will…make it through the… P, Pa' …I can't make out the last words, they're too faded, but I think it's talking about the road we've been traveling on."

"We'll have to be careful then. There's no other way to the top, come on." Jack said, continuing on their way.

The sides of the mountain seemed to moan as they walked up the mountain pass. Jack's feet were beginning to hurt from the cold and he could feel them getting number with each step he took. He looked down at his feet, his getas were little help against the snow. He moved his focus away from his almost frozen toes and onto Ikaya's feet.

Her boots were made of fur, and looked so warm as she trudged through the snow. Jack's eyes narrowed, he thought about how she was always prepared for everything! Hell, even the cloak he was wearing came from that bag of hers! The whole thought of it made him furious.

This woman was taking care of him! A samurai of great strength, was reduced to relying on this woman! Like an insignificant child!

Jacks train of thought was interrupted by Ikaya, who hugged her stomach and fell to her knees.

"What is wrong?" he asked, not really worried at all.

"I don't know, I just got a bad feeling in my stomach."

"Well do not whine, and quite acting like such a child." he snapped.

"Jack, what's the matter, why are you being so rude?" Ikaya said.

"If you were wearing these shoes would not you be a aggravated? Especially with a complaining child like you by their side."

Ikaya didn't know what was the matter with Jack, but she began to feel the pain in her stomach getting worse.

"Jack, please, you don't really mean that do you?"

"Every word!" he yelled, facing her.

The pain in Ikaya's stomach began to disappear and slowly turned into rage.

"How dare you talk to me like that!" she said, standing up, "Especially after I saved you from being shipped off to Aku!"

"You are the one that got us into that mess! If you had not been so sensitive about the old woman's remarks…" Jack said, trailing off.

'That woman, she warned me of this…' he thought before he was interrupted by Ikaya.

"She had no right to say those things!"

"She had all the right! It is not everyday you find a girl with a jewel sticking out of her chest!" Jack said, quickly forgetting about the warning.

Ikaya tightened her fists and thought about how the woman had acted, about how almost every single person she had ever met acted toward her.

"She had no right…"

"She obviously saw something wicked in you! Besides, if a woman you just met ran screaming I can understand why your mother left!"

Ikaya grabbed her staff and dropped her bag. Her eyes were filled with so much anger that they seemed to glow a horrible red.

"Take that back…" she whispered angrily.

"Ha! You think you can beat me, or are you going to use your powers to do it!" Jack said, unsheathing his sword and pointing it toward her.

"I said, take that back."

"Why not make me!"

Ikaya yelled and ran toward Jack, bringing her staff down hard. Jack stopped her hit with his sword and quickly slashed at her arm, cutting into it. Ikaya flinched but managed to bring her staff around again, hitting him on the side of the head. He stumbled a bit but was able to regain his composure as blood fell from his forehead.

The wind seemed to blow more fiercely as they continued to fight, slashing, punching, kicking…anything, each trying desperately to get rid of the other! Blood fell from the fresh wounds they inflicted on the other, their clothes being torn into shreds with each hit.

It seemed as if the fight would never end when Ikaya finally managed to trip Jack with the end of her staff. Jack landed with a hard thud, but was able to slash at Ikaya's back, making her writhe in pain.

They both separated again and stood, staring at each other, breathing heavily and looking tired from the amount of blood they had each lost.

"You are harder to kill than I thought…why not use your jewel?" Jack said.

"I don't need it!" Ikaya said.

"We will see!"

They both yelled at the top of their lungs and lunged forward. Ikaya jumped into the air again and landed in front of him. Jack slashed at her, but she managed to dodge it and brought her staff around, hitting Jack so hard that he flew back and was knocked immediately unconscious, then nothing.

Ikaya slowly walked up to where Jack laid. She looked down at his lifeless body, the anger still raging through her and raised her staff into the air, ready to destroy him with one jab, but something stopped her.

"No…I can't…" she said, "Th-this isn't…right."

Her vision got blurry and her body got weak, the wind pushing against her body seemed so heavy. Ikaya dropped her staff and fell to her knees before falling forward onto Jacks lifeless body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They both lay in the blood stained snow. Not a movement, not a noise, not even that of their breathing, when a faint green light came from between them.

Ikaya's jewel began to glow brighter and brighter even though she remained lifeless.

Suddenly Jack began to move, his eyes opening slightly.

He looked down at Ikaya, who's head was on his shoulder.

"Ikaya? Ikaya, are you all right?" he managed to get out.

She didn't answer.

Jack tried to sit up even though his head was throbbing. He placed his hand behind Ikaya's back and felt something warm fall onto his arm. He looked down and saw that she was bleeding heavily from the wound he had given her.

He quickly picked up their belongings and carried Ikaya further up the path. By this time the wind was blowing so hard that it was biting as his face, making it hard to see even a foot in front of him.

'That woman warned me of the pass, how could I forget!' He thought, looking down, trying his best to keep Ikaya covered, 'I failed you again! I can not think of that now…shelter…we need to find shelter!'

"Follow the wind…" A voice said seemingly from nowhere.

Jack stopped dead in his tracks, looking around for the source of the voice.

"Who is there? Show yourself!" Jack yelled.

"Follow the wind…" another voice repeated.

Jack stood for a moment, then did as the voices said, following the direction of the wind even though he did not know where he was going. He wandered on until he could barely make out the entrance of a cave, stopping just outside of it.

"Into the cave…" a third voice said.

"Please, who is there? My friend is hurt…" Jack yelled into the blizzard.

"Into the cave…" the three voices said at once.

Jack walked into the cave, Ikaya's jewel lighting the way.

The cave was small, only going into the side of the mountain a few feet before opening up into another small room.

Jack put Ikaya down onto the ground, noticing that her breathing had gotten better. He made a fire with some small pieces of wood that were at the entrance of the cave, all the while keeping an eye on her still body. He knew he needed to clean her wounds, as well as his, but there was nothing in the cave that he could use except for the water that dripped into a puddle at the corner of it. That's when he noticed her bag, right where he had put it.

"She is always prepared…" he whispered to himself, rummaging through the bag, just as Ikaya's jewel faded out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack had almost washed and dressed all of Ikaya's wounds when she began to wake up.

"Wh-what happened?" she said.

Jack was silent for a moment.

"We nearly killed each other."

Ikaya began to try to get up when she flinched from the pain.

"Be careful, you have a wound on your back I have not cleaned."

"But I…why did we attack each other?" Ikaya asked, still trying to sit up.

"The pass has a curse on it." Jack said, helping her, "It is called 'The Pass of Betrayal', the old woman told me of it, but I…had forgotten before we entered the path."

Jack grabbed the damp cloth and continued to try and wash the wound on her back through her clothes.

"Here, this will make it easier." Ikaya said, taking off what was left of her shirt.

"IKAYA!" Jack said, standing up straight and taking a few steps back.

"Don't worry, you won't see anything if you stay behind me, besides, how else are you going to clean it?" Ikaya said, wrapping her arms around her knees.

Jack kneeled back on the floor behind her and continued to wash away the blood that nearly covered her whole back.

With every dab of the cloth Jack noticed a large deep scar that went from just below one of Ikaya's shoulders to the middle of her back.

"I got that a few years ago." Ikaya said.

"I am sorry?"

"You paused for a second…I assumed you noticed the scar on my back."

"I apologize, I did not mean to stare."

"Don't worry, I should have told you it was there…It's the price I paid for being too trusting with love."

"What!" Jack said, a little surprised.

"His name was Jeremy…I remember watching him from the bushes…he was so...handsome." Ikaya said, laughing a bit, "I was such a young fool…he fit into the village so well, everyone said they had never seen me so happy, but Munsoli, he knew, he always did. He saw what Jeremy really was…"

Ikaya's voice got stern, the hate that Jack heard earlier began to return to her often soft voice.

"He had come to steal the gems in the mines and he was determined to take every single one, nothing was going to stand in his way…not even me."

Jack looked down at the scar, before noticing a tear falling from the side of her face.

"You remind me of him." She said, making Jack flinch, "No matter how much I tried to ignore it, I just can't help but think of him when I look at you… but..."

"But what?"

Ikaya turned to face Jack, her hair covering her breasts. Jack was stunned by her move, but quickly forgot his embarrassment when he looked at her face.

"Your eyes are so different. Jeremy's eyes were cold, but yours, your eyes have a softness to them. A quiet softness that I can see every time I look at you, and every time I notice you looking at me."

"Ikaya, I…" Jack said, just as Ikaya placed her hands on his.

"It's not your fault." she whispered.

"What?!"

"I saw how you look at the scar on my face, how you looked at the wounds I have now, but I want you to know, nothing that happens to me is your fault. I'm bound to get hurt every now and then, but no matter what happens to me, it's beyond your control, so please, stop blaming yourself."

Ikaya slowly got up and put her shirt back on. Jack stayed where he was and just watched her as she sat down next to the small fire, leaning up against the wall.

"I can not help but feel the need to protect you." Jack said, moving over to Ikaya, "Even though I know you are capable of protecting yourself…something tells me, and I can not ignore it."

They sat for a moment, staring at each other when the walls around them began to shake and rumble. Jack wrapped his arms around Ikaya while the wall at the end of the cave began to pull apart, a blinding blue light shining out from behind it just as the mountain stopped shaking.

"Enter…" the three voices that Jack had heard earlier said from within the light.

"Should we?" Ikaya whispered.

Jack nodded, he picked up their belongings and helped Ikaya get up, before walking into the light, disappearing just as the wall closed behind them.


	8. Ch 7: The Oracle

**Disclaimer:**

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only thing I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes**

Yet again, took me forever to post. If there is anyway for me to repay all the loyal readers for staying with the story, tell me, and I'll do it! Unless it involves money…I am poor and therefore cannot just give it away, otherwise that would be a good way of making it up to you all.

But until I become rich, I will make this vow, at least one new chapter every week and a half. (I started school so a week and a half is a good number to balance school work and this). And I will try to get as many chapters up as quick as possible until this story is done. This promise shall be kept! I swear!

And thank you to all who have commented and given constructive criticism. I really do appreciate you all taking the time. Considering you don't have to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

** Chapter 7**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The air around Jack and Ikaya was cold. The light that had been shining from within the secret room began to fade the further the two of them walked.

None of them dared say a word when suddenly the light completely faded and they were left in a vast hallway that seemed as if it were completely made of ice.

"…It's beautiful!" Ikaya said, both of them looking around, still making their way forward.

The pillars that held up the ceiling shimmered as their reflection moved along them. The spaces between them were covered in fog that fell down them onto the floor and hovered around Jack and Ikaya's legs, nearly reaching up to their hips.

"What is this place?" Ikaya said, still in awe at their surroundings.

"I do not know…" Jack said, trailing off as he was stopped in his tracks.

Before them stood a wall of water that flowed upward, crashing against the ceiling then flowing along it as if it were the ground.

"How can it flow like that?" Ikaya said, reaching out to see if what they were seeing was real.

"Through the water…" the three voices said, echoing through the hallway.

"Who are you?" Jack yelled, looking around to see if the voices would reveal themselves.

"Through the water…" they repeated.

"We've come this far," Ikaya said, "we might as well keep going."

Jack looked at her, her usual soft smile across her bruised face.

The two of them looked forward and, holding their breath, slowly walked into the wall of water.

For a moment everything seemed to disappear. Jack felt as if he had left his body and nothing remained but an overwhelming feeling of content. All of the heartaches Jack had ever felt, all of the worries that crowded his mind, none of it existed, none of it mattered.

Jack opened his eyes and turned to Ikaya. Her eyes remained closed, her hair floating around her face. She seemed as if she were frozen in a sleep, when Jack felt her take his hands.

"Jack…" she whispered, slowly opening her eyes just as another blinding light took them over and they could feel the ground beneath their feet.

Jack fell to his hands and knees, dripping wet and gasping to catch his breath.

"Ikaya?" he said, trying to get his eyes back into focus.

"It's gone?!" Ikaya said.

"What?"

"The pain, it…it's gone!"

Jack's eyesight cleared, and he saw Ikaya kneeling next to him, taking off her bandages and feeling where her wounds had been. She turned to him, and Jack noticed that the scar that had been across her face had disappeared.

He reached up, taking her face in his hands. Jack couldn't believe that all the wounds that he had given her, everything that reminded him of his shame was gone, as if it never had happened.

She looked up at him, blushing and a little confused at his actions.

"Y-yours are gone too."

"What?"

"Your wounds, they're gone." she said, reaching up and pulling off the bandage from one of his arms.

"*Cough* Yes, so they are." Jack said, pulling away and looking down at his own bandages.

"What is it you seek?" the three voices said, interrupting Jack and Ikaya.

The two of them looked up to see three women who seemed to be sitting atop the fog itself.

They were dressed in extravagant garments that shined as if they were made of the heavens themselves.

"Who are you?" Jack said, standing up, "And why have you been leading us here?"

"You both have passed the trial of loyalty and lived. You have succeeded in making it to the peak of the mountain, and for that you shall be rewarded with the answers you seek." the three women said.

"Jack, I think they're the oracle." Ikaya said.

"What is it you seek?" they repeated.

"My friend seeks a way back to his own time," Ikaya said, stepping forward, "and I'm searching for my mother, please if you can help us find the answers we seek."

The three women sat quietly, not making a sound or a movement when suddenly they raised their heads slightly, opening up the third eye that rested in the center of their foreheads.

"Your mother will reveal herself soon, child." they said, "But take heed, for her coming brings more questions, and the answers that you will seek come with a price…"

"What?" Ikaya said.

"Wait…" the oracles said, their bodies tensing up, "there is something more, something darker..."

Ikaya gasped and fell to her knees, hugging her stomach just as she had in the pass.

"Ikaya!" Jack said kneeling next to her.

"Jack, the pain, it's back!" Ikaya said, hunched over.

Ikaya's jewel began to glow, it's green light pulsating with her heartbeat, getting brighter and brighter with each palpitation.

"You should not have come here." the oracles said.

"What are you doing to her!?" Jack yelled.

"It is the sins of the past that harm her." the three of them said, "She has much to answer for crimes she did not commit, and the crimes that will be done by her own hands."

The oracles stood up, facing the two that kneeled before them.

Slowly they began to open their other two eyes, a blue light shining from them. Fog began to pour into the room, quickly covering every inch of the floor.

"Jack! It hurts so much!" Ikaya managed to gasp out.

"Our time has almost come, quickly, before the fate of the world is lost with us." the oracles whispered.

The shining blue light that came from their eyes began to glow around Ikaya, her huddled body now glowing in it's own green light.

"Take heed, child. The future has quite a trial for you." the oracles said, just as Ikaya raised her head toward the ceiling, screaming in pain. A beam of green energy shot out from her chest, striking the oracles.

The oracles yelled, falling to the floor beneath the fog. The room began to shake violently, the vibrant blue walls turned dark shades of gray and began to crack and crumble all around them.

Ikaya stopped glowing, and fell lifeless into Jacks arms, before disappearing completely.

"Where is she, what black sorcery has taken place here!?" Jack said, looking to where the oracles once stood.

"Listen to this warning, samurai!" the oracles said, their once soft voices now scratchy and hard to understand, "That woman carries a darkness within her, a darkness that must be overcome, for the sake of all living things."

"What do you mean? Why must you speak in riddles!?"

Large pieces of the room began to fall to the floor, roaring as it did so while gusts of wind blew threw it.

The oracles slowly got up from the fog and looked at Jack, who flinched at what he saw. The three once beautiful women were now deteriorating before his eyes. Their once magnificent clothes were now tattered and ripping apart as their skin was rotting and falling off of their bones.

"What is happening?" Jack said.

"A storm is coming samurai, and it is up to you to save this world from it! Trust your instincts, and don't let your mind be clouded by anything. Stop her from destroying everything! Keep her from the darkness!"

The three of them opened their third eyes, the blue light that had shined around Ikaya now formed around Jack.

"No! Wait!" Jack said.

"Take heed, samurai, take heed." the oracles said just as the room disappeared in front of Jack and there was nothing but a cold emptiness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Master Aku, what is it?" the shadow demon asked.

Aku had stopped abruptly and turned to the North, confusion on his face.

"Master Aku?"

"The oracle has been defeated, Shadow Demon."

"But what could have that much power, not even you could defeat them?"

Aku's face scrunched up with annoyance.

"I mean, considering the curse on the mountain that kept you out…" the shadow demon quickly squeaked out, "but you would have been able to defeat them if you could, Master Aku…he he, I meant no disrespect!"

Aku returned his gaze in the direction of the mountain.

'What could have such power?' he kept repeating in his mind. 'What could destroy what not even I could?'

"M-master Aku, what's the matter?" the shadow demon said.

"Nothing, Demon, come, if the samurai and his companion escaped the fate of the oracles they will go to the nearest city. We will wait for them there." Aku said, walking toward the city with the shadow demon scurrying closely behind him, trying his best to keep the worry from showing on his face.


	9. Ch 8: Rest and Uncertainty

**Disclaimer:**

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only thing I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes**

Well, looks like I broke the promise I made in the last chapter. Sorry to everyone, but I lost interest for a little while…but now, after along break (and an even longer laugh at a cowardly comment) I've decided to start writing again.

I apologize again, to all who deserve one!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

** Chapter 8**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack opened his eyes slowly to see the moon shining down on him.

His head was pounding and although he was sore all over he managed to sit up. He lifted his head and looked around, expecting to see the remains of the oracles palace but instead found himself sitting in a small clearing next to a large lake.

A fire had been made a few feet from where he sat, Ikaya's bag and staff lay near his feet along with his sword.

Jack turned to the lake. It was calm and still, the moon's reflection shining up from it and the smell of the water lingering in the air.

A sight such as this would have usually calmed the samurai, but all he could think about was the oracle's warning, and his massive headache.

"I see you finally decided to wake up." Ikaya said.

Jack turned, Ikaya was walking up to the fire, a small bundle of fruit in her arms.

She looked so tired and although she wore her soft smile Jack could see the fatigue on her face.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, sitting down.

"Not well." Jack said, looking at the ground.

"That's how I felt when I woke up, here, this will help you feel better." she said, handing him a round, purple fruit.

Jack took it without lifting his head.

"How long was I asleep?" he asked.

"Almost two days," Ikaya said, taking a bite from one of the fruits and sitting down up against a nearby tree, "I got through all but one of my mothers letters."

"That is good." Jack said, looking at Ikaya.

There was a brief moment of silence between them.

"There's a town… a couple miles from here. We can get to it through the main road on the other side of those trees, when you get better I mean." she said.

"Ikaya…" Jack started.

"Please…Jack." was all Ikaya whispered, never taking her attention away from the fire.

The night got colder. Jack turned to the water and began to think. He wanted to find out what had happened at the oracle's palace. Why had Ikaya lost control of her jewels powers, but mainly he wanted to see if he could make sense of what the oracle's warned him about.

"The crimes that will be done by her own hands…" Jack whispered to himself.

Ikaya had never given him any reason to be suspicious of her in any way. Up until now she seemed to be in full control of her abilities and she never let her emotions get the better of her. So why had she lost control of them now? Was it a spell? Had the oracles cast a spell on Ikaya? Jack didn't know, and it seemed that although Ikaya did it was obvious she didn't feel like talking about it.

Jack looked over at Ikaya, who had fallen asleep against the tree. The fruit in her arms had rolled onto the floor.

She looked so peaceful, almost like a child asleep in the moonlight. She must had been up the entire two days that Jack had been out. That had to be the reason why she had looked so tired.

Jack smiled and took the blanket off of himself, covering Ikaya with it and sitting next to her.

What if the oracles were wrong. Ikaya was such a caring person, she would never hurt an innocent. Jack took a bite of the fruit she had given him. Almost instantly all the pain in his body began to disappear to his surprise.

He looked back at Ikaya, the smile on his face growing wider until he noticed the skin around her jewel. It was bruised, and looked as if a huge rock had been hurled at her.

Jack felt uneasy, the amount of energy that came out from her must had been massive to make a bruise like that. If she was capable of producing that much energy…

Jack shook his head and tried to stop his train of thought. He didn't want to think that Ikaya could very well hurt people if she had lost control of her powers again, or worse…by her own choice.

Jack stiffened and worry fell over him. Should he listen to the oracles warnings, or should he stay with Ikaya like he had promised.

He sighed and glared straight ahead. He needed more time to think about what was more important to the samurai. Follow the warnings given to him and possibly save all living things… or stay loyal to the woman whom he felt he owed his life.


	10. Ch 9: Memories Found

**Disclaimer:**

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only thing I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
**Notes**

Still really appreciate those who bare with my not posting as often as one should… but I needed to fix the story a bit, and I ended up putting myself into a corner. But no worries…the corner has opened, so on with the story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

** Chapter 9**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was cold the following morning. The sun was hidden behind a layer of clouds, and a light fog fell across the horizon. Jack and Ikaya hadn't spoken since the night before nor did they look at each other. They just continued down the dirt road, side by side without a word between them.

It had been three days since they had visited the Oracles Palace and with all that happened Jack felt that he deserved an explanation from Ikaya, especially since it seemed to him that she had an idea of what had gone wrong.

He looked over at her every now and then and each time her face was expressionless. She stared down at the ground in front of her while they walked, a small bit of her bruised skin showing while her cape covered the rest of it.

Jack was about to speak when a light rain began to fall. He looked up at the sky, when he felt a soft nudge on his shoulder. He looked down to see Ikaya holding his straw hat.

"Here…" she whispered, still not lifting her head making it hard for Jack to see her eyes through the hair that fell over them.

"Thank you," he replied, putting it on.

Ikaya turned and continued down the road. Jack caught up just as they came to the small village they had been traveling to.

The streets were narrow and empty while the rain continued to fall harder down on the old buildings and dirt roads. The faint lights and chimney smoke coming from the small houses were the only sign of life.

Jack turned to Ikaya again, her clothes and hair were now soaked. Large drops fell from the ends of her arms and strands of her hair clung to her shoulders and face.

"Ikaya…" Jack said, moving closer to her.

Ikaya stopped and looked up at Jack, who placed his straw hat on her head.

"Thank you." Ikaya whispered, her face still expressionless as she turned away from him.

"That is enough!" Jack said, placing his hand on her shoulder so she couldn't walk off.

"You must stop this, I know you must have much going through your mind but if you know why you lost control at the Oracles Palace I feel that you must be honest with me if we are going to continue on together!"

Ikaya looked up at Jack, her expressionless face was now strewn with pain. Jack sighed and stepped back, taking his hand off of her shoulder.

"I am sorry, Ikaya. I should not have lost my temper."

"No," Ikaya said, "You have the right to be angry. I should have told you before we left my forest."

Ikaya closed her eyes and took a long deep breath. Jack could tell that what she was about to tell him wasn't easy for her, but just as she was about to speak they were interrupted by a voice coming from one of the houses.

"Ikaya?!" the voice said, followed by the sound of tools being dropped to the ground.

Jack and Ikaya looked to where the voice was coming from and saw an old woman standing within what looked to be an open blacksmiths shop.

"Ikaya, is-is that you?" the woman said, placing her hands over her chest.

The two looked at each other, none quite sure exactly what was going on.

"How do you know my name?" Ikaya finally said, walking closer to the woman.

"Oh, my dearest, it is you!" the woman shouted, running out into the rain to Ikaya, giving her a strong hug.

"Oh, Ikaya, you've grown so much. I knew it, only one person could have hair that color. Quickly, come out of the rain, both of you." the old woman said, taking Ikaya by the hand and leading her into the blacksmiths shop, Jack following closely.

The woman led the two into the shop and through a door that led into a small house behind it. Unlike the shop, which was made out of bricks that been blackened over the years, the house was made of wood and had a warmth to it.

"I swear, I never thought I would see you again!" the woman said, her eyes filling with tears.

"Almay," came a mans voice from one of the rooms, "Almay, who are you talking to?"

"Willam," said the old woman, "Willam, come see who's come back to us!"

An old man hobbled into the room, stopping in his tracks when he saw Ikaya.

"My stars! Ikaya, no it can't be!" he said, walking up to her and taking her hand, "Ikaya you've grown into such a beautiful woman"

"And she's brought herself a companion." Almay said.

"Hello, my name is Jack." Jack said, bowing.

"Please," said Ikaya, "I don't mean to be rude, but how do you know my name?"

"I forgot, you were so young…" said Almay, "Ikaya, you were born here."

Ikaya's eyes grew wide. She could feel every muscle in her body going numb, disbelief falling over her face.

"Ikaya, sweetheart, are you okay?"

"I was born here?" she repeated.

"Yes," said Willam, "I still remember the day your mother and your father came to us, on a night much like tonight."

Ikaya looked around, not knowing whether or not to run or simply to believe what the old couple was telling her.

"Come Ikaya." Almay finally said, taking her by the hand, "I'll find you some dry clothes to wear while yours dry off, Willam, please take Jack to do the same."

Willam nodded.

"This way young man." he said, gesturing for Jack to follow him into one of the other rooms.

Almay lead the still shaken Ikaya into a small room that, although it was clean, looked as if it hadn't been used in years. A large chest stood in one corner while a fireplace sat on the wall adjacent to it, a large mantel full of pictures above it. A bed was pushed against the same wall and the window was on the wall to the right of the bed.

Ikaya walked toward the mantel above the fireplace and began to look at the pictures that rested on it. Unknown faces smiled back at her from times long passed when she stumbled on a fading picture of a young man and woman looking deep into each others eyes.

"Beautiful picture, isn't it." Almay said, looking over Ikaya's shoulder, "My, that was taken so long ago, look how young Willam and I once were, ah, well here you are sweetie, an old dress of mine for you to wear."

Almay took out the same dress that was in the picture from a the chest. It was simple, a brown dress with white trim along the middle and the ends of the skirt and sleeves, two long strips of cloth came out of the sides so it could be tied around the waist. Almay placed it across the bed and smoothed it out a bit before turning to leave the room.

"Thank you," Ikaya said, still not sure about all that was happening.

~~~~~~~~~

Jack stepped out from the room he had been lead to wearing an old button up shirt that was once white, but was now aged to a faint yellow color. The dark brown pants were more comfortable than he thought they would be, but the closed work boots would take some getting used to.

"See young man, I knew you were the right size for my old clothes." Willam said.

"Um, yes, I thank you and your wife for your kindness." Jack said, folding up the sleeves so they went just passed his elbows.

"Oh think nothing of it," Almay said, placing a bowl of soup on the table just as Jack sat down, "I'm just glad that Ikaya is still alive and well."

"Thank you…" Jack said, stirring the soup in front of him, "was Ikaya in any danger?"

The old man and woman looked at each other.

"You see, when her parents first arrived, about a week before Ikaya was born, her mother told me that they were being followed by something that wanted Ikaya, even before she was born." Almay said, placing a basket of biscuits in the middle of the table.

"They were being followed? By what?" Jack asked.

"We don't know, she said that she could sense something near them, everywhere they went it was there. Evil is the only thing she could say when describing it." Willam said.

"The poor dear was even too afraid to sleep at night. She could feel whatever it was hovering over her, reaching for the baby." Almay said.

"And what of her husband?" Jack asked, fully interested in their story.

"We asked him if he knew what she was talking about but he was never one to talk." Almay said, placing two more bowls of soup on the table, "Kalveh never let on that he was worried for Kousetsu and their child, but we could tell he loved them both very much, especially after Ikaya was born."

"Was that his name?" Ikaya said, walking into the room from the dim hall.

"Ikaya, come and have some soup and biscuits, you must be hungry." Almay said, faint surprise forming across her face.

Ikaya sat down at the table, her hair was pulled back into a loose bun which she fiddled with in an effort to make it tighter.

"Was that his name?" Ikaya repeated.

Almay's face softened again.

"Yes, your fathers name was Kalveh."

"Kalveh…" Ikaya whispered to herself, a smile forming on her face while taking in a spoonful of the soup.


	11. Ch 10: Truths Revealed

**Disclaimer:**

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only things I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

**Notes**

God…six and a half months without posting a thing. I apologize greatly, but my computer up and knocked out on me so I couldn't write anything, let alone post on the Internet. Plus schools been hectic and to top it off I've had serious writers block when it comes to this chapter. I've had the ending and the next couple of chapters thought out and ready to go…but this one just gave me trouble. But it's here…and I greatly appreciate those who still read…even if I really don't deserve it. On with the story.

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

** Chapter 10**

The fire crackled in the fireplace, shooting small bits of blazed wood into the chimney above it, its light dancing all over the walls.

Willam had gone to bed long before and Almay had disappeared into one of the rooms for just as long. The house was dark and quiet, and except for the hushed conversation that was taking place in front of the fireplace, the house was perfectly still.

The evening had been a pleasant one, something which was out of the ordinary for both Jack and Ikaya. The events that had taken place in the past days were not important. All the heartache, pain, and questions were now a distant thought, being draped behind laughter and conversation which now only included the two travelers, sitting on the floor next to the makeshift bed Almay put together for Jack on the sofa.

"Kalveh…I can't stop saying his name." Ikaya said, her arms wrapped around her knees while she fiddled with the end of her long skirt, "Kalveh…"

Jack smiled as he fixed a recent tear in his straw hat.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Ikaya asked, turning her body slightly to face him.

"My father taught me when I was young." Jack said.

Ikaya smiled and moved her attention to the straw hat while Jack continued to weave the fibers into each other. They both sat in silence for a moment before being interrupted by the quiet sound of footsteps coming towards them.

"Still awake I see." Came Almay's voice as she walked into the room, "Ikaya, I've placed new sheets on the bed in the guest room. Whenever you feel like going to bed, it's ready."

"Thank you, Almay." Ikaya said.

"And Jack, I'm sorry we don't have an extra bed for you, I hope the sofa will be comfortable enough for the night."

"Yes, it will be fine. Thank you again."

"You're both welcomed…well, look at the time. I suppose I should have been off to bed hours ago… Goodnight you two, and don't stay up too late yourselves."

"Goodnight, Almay." Both Jack and Ikaya said.

"Oh, before I forget, Ikaya, here's something I found while looking through the trunk in the guest room."

Almay reached into her robe's pocket, pulling out an old photograph and handing it to Ikaya. The corners of the photo were bent inward, and the color had faded slightly but not enough to ruin the photo's true colors. It was of a man holding a small baby next to a small group of flowers. He held the baby close to his face and it looked as if he was giving it a kiss on the forehead. Ikaya's eyes widened and she looked up at Almay, who nodded and smiled.

"Where was this taken?" Ikaya said, struggling to get the words out.

"Behind our home, in the small flower garden I had at the time. Kalveh didn't know that I was there when I took the photograph…he was singing to you." Almay said, walking toward her room, "Goodnight."

Ikaya didn't move at all, her attention fixed on the photograph she held in front of her.

"His hair is like mine." She finally said, her voice shaky and hushed.

Jack smiled and placed the now finished straw hat down next to his sword. Ikaya's smile slowly faded, she rested her head on her knees and without taking her attention away from the photo let out a soft sigh.

"Jack…"

"Yes Ikaya."

"That wasn't the first time I'd lost my powers."

"What?" Jack said, completely caught off guard.

"Before the oracles…I'd lost my powers once before."

"Ikaya, I am grateful for your honesty, but you do not have to…"

"No, I've held the truth from you long enough…I need to tell you." Ikaya said, looking at Jack, her face now determined.

"Then continue…" Jack said.

Ikaya looked ahead at the fire, still dancing within its place.

"When I was about five my mother decided that we should settle in a small village located in a lush green valley. We had our own small hut made of mud-brick on the outskirts of the village. There was a small vegetable garden on the side of it and it was only a few yards from a small stream. It was a beautiful place, and the people who lived in that village were so kind. We had lived there for only a short while, but we were so welcomed that it already felt like home.

Twice a year the village would throw a festival in honor of the changing seasons. The square in the center of it was alive with color and people were selling all kinds of things for the festival. People dressed in costumes and performed dances to their gods in thanks of the prosperous season and all the children would run around the square, carrying streamers and all dressed in their own beautiful costumes, including myself. The festival was to be a time of happiness, but an old beggar man who had traveled to the village for the festival began to preach to the crowd.

He went on and on about a great evil that had befallen the valley, weaving in and out of the crowd, saying how he felt it near."

Ikaya's voice grew quieter and her breath began to shorten. She tightened the hold she had on her legs, the photograph she had held was now at her feet and her gaze was fixed onto the shadows on the floor.

"He got closer to the group of children I was with, and pulled out an old glass box. I didn't know what was in it, but I felt like it was something to be feared. He hobbled closer and closer, with each step my palms began to sweat more and more and my heart began to skip. The old man never stopped talking when he reached into the box and pulled out the blue amulet that was hidden inside of it. I began to step back, and my heart started to beat faster and faster. I just remember feeling like I wanted to get away from him…away from that amulet he shook in his hand. Then, he raised it, high above his head and began to recite an incantation as loudly as he could. Before I could do anything I remember my stomach hurting and then everything went black."

"You do not remember what happened?" Jack asked quietly.

Ikaya looked up at him and shook her head 'no'.

"What do you remember?"

"I remember waking up in my mothers arms. Night had fallen, we were wandering through the woods again and although it was dark I could see that she was covered in wounds and bruises. I asked her what had happened, and why we left the village.  
'We had to…' was all she said to me.  
I never questioned it again, and had Munsoli not told me what had happed years later, I doubt I would have ever known." She said, her voice trailing off.

"Ikaya…" Jack whispered, "what happened at the village?"

Ikaya lowered her head, and after a few moments of struggling to get the words out, she continued.

"When the old man recited the incantation, I lost control of my powers and it resulted in the complete destruction of village and everyone in it. Had my mother not been in our hut at the time she might have been destroyed as well…but she didn't escape injury."

Jack's eyes widened, but he quickly regained his composure for fear of how it might make Ikaya feel. They sat for a few moments in silence, but eventually Ikaya began to get up and walk toward the hallway that led to the guest room.

"Ikaya…" Jack said, before she disappeared around the corner, "Please do not be cross with me, but did you ever discover what spell the old man said?"

"Yes…it was a protection spell." She said, turning around and disappearing into the dark hallway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You two know we wouldn't object to you staying longer." Almay said, standing out in front of the blacksmith shop.

"Yes," followed Willam, "it would be a treat for you to stay a few more days."

"You've done so much for us already." Ikaya said, adjusting her cloak around her neck.

"Yes, and we must return to our search." Jack said, bowing to the both of them before receiving a big hug from Almay.

"If you must then you must." said Willam

"But we will miss you both." Almay said, her eyes filling with tears.

"And we will miss you too, thank you again for everything." Ikaya said, giving Almay and Willam a hug.

"Well if you must go then who are we to keep you." Willam said, "If you head down this road it will lead out of the village and onto the next city, it'll take you about two hours to walk there."

"I've made you two some food for the walk." Almay said, handing them a small sack.

"Thank you again, Almay…Willam. I'll never forget you." Ikaya said.

They both turned, and began to walk down the road.

"We're just glad that we got to see you again, Ikaya. And we're glad we got to meet you Jack. You take care of our little girl, you hear!" Willam shouted after them.

"I will, of that I promise." Jack said, shouting back.

Ikaya smiled as they walked down the road. She knew that what she had told Jack the previous night had to have made him think of the danger that could befall him if he continued to travel with her. For now though, she was glad that he hadn't decided to go on alone, and she was glad that he would still be there to help her on her own search.


	12. Ch 11: Deeper Questions Still

**Disclaimer:**

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only things I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

**Notes**

So, after a few weeks of writers block and guilt from not getting the next chapter up as soon as I'd wanted, I finally was able to sit and actually start writing the next chapter.

And after losing that first draft when my computer crashed, followed by a period of self-mourning and a cold beer to get over losing that draft I finally sat down again and finished the next chapter. And since it did take me a while to get it up I decided to leave it long rather than cutting it into two chapters like I usually do when it gets this long and making you wait another couple of weeks for me to post the second half of it.

So enjoy, and to those who still read after all I've put you through, I don't deserve it, but thanks anyway.

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

** Chapter 11**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"How long are they going to take, we've been waiting on this rooftop forever!"

"Shut up, Shadow Demon!" Aku hissed without taking his eyes off the horizon, "The hunter must be patient if he is ever to catch his prey."

"Well…I just wish the prey would hurry up." The demon complained under his breath, returning to the pebble he had been playing with before.

"I said hush…they grow near." Aku said, a sinister smile forming on his face, "You remember our plan?"

"Yes Master." The demon responded excitedly, jumping to his feet and disappearing into the shadows.

Aku let out a deep evil laugh.

"Let the hunt begin," he said, changing his form before jumping off the roof.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day was cool and sunny, and although it had been raining heavily the night before the ground wasn't very damp. Ikaya and Jack hadn't said a word since they'd left Almay and Willem waving goodbye to them from the front of their shop.

Neither of them seemed very distressed about the facts that had come to light the night before, but at the same time neither of them was exactly sure of how to start a conversation.

"I'm glad the sun's out, even if it a bit cold." Ikaya finally said, pulling her cloak tighter around herself.

"Yes," Jack responded, "this walk would not have been so pleasant if it was raining."

Ikaya smiled and reached down into her bag, searching through the sack that Almay had given them. She pulled out a large red apple and continued to search through the sack with a confused look on her face.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just there's only one apple but two of everything else. I think Almay forgot to pack two for us."

Jack smiled and took the apple out of Ikaya's hand and threw it into the air. With a swift slash of his sword he was able to cut the apple in half with one swoop. A huge smile formed across Ikaya's face as she reached out and grabbed half of the apple, giggling while she took a small bite out of the side of it.

"I've never seen anyone cut an apple like that before!" She said, laughing.

"I have never heard you laugh like that before." Jack said, smiling as he took a bite out of his half.

Ikaya blushed and looked at the ground in front of them.

"I laugh like that whenever I get excited. I guess it does sound rather childish."

"Oh, I am sorry, I did not mean to embarrass you." Jack said, now slightly embarrassed himself.

The two looked at each other and laughed. The rest of the walk was less awkward, now full of talking while the two of them shared stories from their lives, again as if there was not a care in the world besides what subject to talk about next. And before they knew it they had finally reached the city that they had been traveling to.

It was a merchant city, where the buildings were the same tan color as the light dirt it sat on. The road that Jack and Ikaya had been traveling on went straight through the middle of the city and the closer they got to the center of the city the more the street was lined with stands set up against the buildings that sat on it's sides.

Everything from handmade wears to expensive gifts sat on the tables, beckoning for someone to buy them. Ikaya couldn't contain her excitement and weaved from stand to stand while Jack struggled to keep up.

"Jack! Look at these beautiful sticks!" Ikaya said, waving at him from one of the stands.

"They're walking posts." The merchant said from behind them, "My father and I have been making these for years."

"They are very amazing." Jack said, looking at one of the more intricately designed ones."

"Yes they are…oh, look over here!" Ikaya squealed, rushing onto another stand nearby.

"Please excuse me." Jack said, quickly rushing to catch up to Ikaya, who was now standing in front of a jewelry merchant's stand.

Ikaya rushed to one of the stands that looked as if it was owned by one of the more wealthy merchants. Precious stones made into bracelets and earrings were strewn across a deep purple cloth that fell over the side of it. Every new piece of jewelry that they looked at seemed more beautiful than the last. Jack walked up next to Ikaya, who was still in awe at the jewelry that sat before her.

The middle-aged woman that ran the jewelry stand walked over to Ikaya, a small smile across her face.

"Such a beautiful girl deserves a beautiful necklace." The woman said, "I have just the one in mind."

She reached underneath the table that sat between her and the two travelers and pulled out a very intricate and stunning necklace. Rubies and Sapphires of all sizes were laid across it on a shiny silver chain that was almost as radiant as the stones themselves.

"It matches your hair and your eyes." The woman said, handing the necklace over to Ikaya.

"It is a beautiful necklace, but I have no way of paying for it." Ikaya said, handing it back to the woman.

"Then how about a trade. My necklace for the one you wear around your neck."

"What?"

"The one that that amazing stone hangs from. I've never seen anything like it." The woman said.

Ikaya looked down and realized that her cloak had shifted just enough to expose her jewel.

"Oh, I…" Ikaya said, quickly covering her jewel, "I can't."

"And why not, all earthly goods can be bartered." The woman insisted.

"It is a family heirloom." Jack said, "She has promised to never part with it as long as she is living."

"I understand." The woman said, giving the two of them a wink, "I have a few myself. Please accept my apology."

"It is not necessary. Thank you for showing us that beautiful necklace."

"Yes, thank you." Ikaya finally said, slowly walking away.

"Are you all right?" Jack said as they ventured down the crowded street, a little worried at her calmed state.

"Yes, I was just scared that she would realize that the jewel wasn't a necklace…thank you for helping me like that." She said, giving him a smile so he knew she was okay.

Jack smiled back. The two of them walked on for a while, and as they walked on a faint, soft song began to fill the air. It sounded like tiny bells being chimed and was so low that it was hard to tell if it was in the air at all.

"Do you hear that?" Jack said, looking down and realizing that Ikaya wasn't next to him.

Jack looked around and finally found her, standing in front of a small, wooden stand. The song grew clearer the closer he got to the stand when he realized what the old man that sat behind the stand was selling.

Lined in two rows were small, simple wooden music boxes. Each one was hand painted with flowers and had a small wooden bird that moved slowly up and down to the music that came from within them.

"Hello young man, have you met Ikaya?" the old man said, smiling.

"This is my traveling companion, Jack." Ikaya said.

"Ah, I see. So how do you like my boxes young Jack? Ikaya has not yet told me what she thinks of them."

"They are…"

"Amazing." Ikaya said, interrupting them.

She reached out and picked up a small music box with a single blue flower on it. The bird slowly bobbed up and down as the soft little song played.

"Do you like it?" Jack asked.

"There were flowers this color next to Munsoli's hut." She whispered, a soft smile across her face.

Jack smiled and turned to the old man, who nodded and smiled back. Jack pulled out his newly patched straw hat and held it out while Ikaya just looked at him, puzzled.

"Please sir, will you accept this as payment for the box she is holding?" Jack said.

The old man reached out and took the hat, placing it on his head.

"I have been saving up for a hat to keep the sun out of my eyes. But nothing I could buy would be as comfortable as this. I will gladly accept the trade, young Jack. Please Ikaya, enjoy the gift that young Jack has given you."

Ikaya smiled and nodded to the old man. She held the box close as they said goodbye and walked away. The sound of the street seemed distant to the faint song that came from Ikaya's arms.

Jack began to worry again.

"Ikaya…" He said, before he was almost attacked by open arms coming toward him.

"Jack, that is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me." She yelled, her arms tightly around Jack's neck.

There they stood in the middle of the street for a moment, Jack unable to do anything but turn red, while Ikaya was still unaware of what she was doing. Until…

"Oh! I'm sorry." Ikaya finally said, letting go of Jack and taking a few steps back.

"Um…you are welcome." Jack said, looking every-which way he could in an effort to keep his red cheeks from being noticed.

It was then that Jack focused on a familiar figure through the crowd. The figure slowly walked through the large crowd and into an alley, giving him an evil smile as it did so.

Jack's eyes narrowed, he placed his hand on his sword and began to move toward the alley.

"Ikaya, follow me and stay close."

"What? Jack where are you going?" Ikaya said, opening up her bag to place the music box in it.

When she looked down into her bag she found a small black creature looking up at her from within it, chewing on the last of the food that Almay had given them.

"Wha-what are you!" Ikaya said, "Get out of there!"

The creature flew out of her bag and landed behind her. He continued to chew on the biscuit he had in his hand before lifting up a bundle of letters he held in the other one.

"Hey, those are mine! Give them back!" She said, pulling out her staff.

The creature just looked at her and took another bite out of the biscuit.

"Then come and get them." It finally said.

Ikaya's face grew angry and a green flame engulfed her staff.

"Uh-oh!" the creature said, heading in the opposite direction that Jack had gone, with Ikaya close behind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack had followed the figure through the alley and into the next street. People crowded the street, which was almost as crowded as the main road.

He looked up and down it, unable to find the figure that he had been following.

"Be careful, Ikaya." He said, "I have lost the…Ikaya?"

Jack looked behind him and realized that he was alone and that Ikaya, much like the figure he was following, was nowhere to be seen.

"Ikaya, where are you?"

"I see you have lost your companion." A woman's voice said from behind him.

"Aku!" Jack growled, turning with his sword drawn.

"Please, Samurai. Call me Ikra, it is far less noticeable than my true name." She said, pushing his sword to the side.

The tall green woman began to circle Jack, who still had his sword ready to attack even though it was now facing the ground.

"Come now, Samurai. Is this any way to greet a face you have not seen in some time." She said, mockingly.

"No matter what form you take, it will always be the same evil!"

"Ha, still with the dramatics I see. That is what I like about you, Samurai." Ikra said, taking a small strand of something off of her dress, "So…her name is Ikaya?"

Jack's eyes widened while he took a swing at Ikra, who jumped out of the way and disappeared into the alley again.

"You will have to be faster than that, Samurai."

"AKU! You leave her alone!" Jack said, rushing into the alley.

"Up here, Samurai."

Jack looked up and saw Ikra standing on one of the balconies above him.

"Keep up if you can." She said, jumping up onto the roof and onto the one next to it.

Jack followed as they jumped from rooftop to rooftop, slashing at her whenever he got close enough, but Ikra managed to dodge every attempt with a mocking smile or a laugh, until he finally slashed her in the shoulder.

Ikra flinched and grabbed onto her wound. Anger filled her face and she ducked into a building. Jack followed and found his opponent standing within the open room on the top floor of an unfinished building. The two of them stared at each other, neither making a single movement while the wind blew through their clothes. Their clothes being the only movement between the two of them.

"Nice moves, Samurai. You seem to be improving."

Jack said nothing.

"The strong silent type, as always. Well then, let us get this over with, make your move."

Jack raised his sword, but before he could do anything they were interrupted by screams for help.

"Master, master! Help me! She's not human!"

The shadow demon came scurrying into the room and quickly made his way behind Ikra.

"Shadow Demon! What are you doing, you were supposed to…"

"I tried, but she got what I took back and then tried to kill me!"

Just then Ikaya's voice came flooding into the room.

"Come back you little demon!" she said, turning the corner, "I'll teach you to…take…"

Ikaya's voice trailed off, her eye's grew large and she lowered her staff while the green flame dissipated.

"Ikaya, what is wrong?" Jack said, "What is it?"

Ikaya didn't say a word, but tears began to form in her eyes and trail down her cheek. Her staff continued to lower before she dropped it to the floor, followed by her bag.

"What is it girl, why do you stare like that?" Ikra said, just as lost as Jack was.

"Ikaya?" Jack said again.

Ikaya took a few steps forward, and with tears in her eyes she managed to get a single word out.

"Mother?"


	13. Ch 12: The Power to Go On

**Disclaimer:**

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only things I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

**Notes**

I have pictures that go with this chapter…I just can't find them. Apparently I deleted them from my sites…but I swear when I find them I'll let you know. So with that. On with the show!

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

**Chapter 12**

"Mother… can it really be you?" Ikaya said, tears streaming down her face.

Everyone in the room was frozen where they stood, shock strewn across their faces.

"Mother, why do you just stand there, it's me, Ikaya." Ikaya cried, still walking closer to the confused Ikra.

"Ikaya wait." Jack finally said, grabbing Ikaya's arm, "That is not your mother."

"No, you're wrong…" she said, turning to him, "you're wrong, Jack."

By this time the shock that had taken over Ikra's face had turned into a more pensive expression.

"It seems the game has changed, Samurai." She said, jumping into the air and transforming into a large bird, but still keeping the face of Ikra.

"Stop, Aku!" Jack said, running to the large hole in the corner of the room.

"There is a large quarry on the outskirts of this city." She said, except now with Aku's own voice, "If it is a fight you are looking for, Samurai, I will be there."

The large bird flew away in a hurry; the shadow demon now waving from it's back.

Jack watched as the black figure disappeared over the horizon. He didn't understand what had just happened, and with everything that Aku was capable of Jack never thought that he would see the day when Aku left without so much as an attack from one of his mindless drones. And it was then that Jack remembered Ikaya.

He turned to face the shocked young woman standing alone in the center of the empty room. She was shaking slightly, her movements were rigid and stressed while she struggled to say anything that was floating through her head, but when she finally found her voice her cries were something that Jack will never forget.

"Mother! MOTHER WAIT!" Ikaya yelled, running toward the opening in the building next to where Jack was.

"MOTHER PLEASE, COME BACK!"

"Ikaya…" Jack said, trying to get her attention, to no avail.

"WHY ARE YOU LEAVING ME AGAIN? WHY ARE YOU LEAVING?"

"Ikaya listen to me!" Jack yelled, grabbing her shoulders, turning her to face him.

Her eyes were so wide and filled with confusion, Jack was shocked. He tried to relax Ikaya, but each attempt to calm her was met with a hard shove to the left or a push to try and get away. Her cheeks covered in her tears and she was nearly inconsolable while she fought Jack with all her strength, trying to turn toward the window again.

"LET GO OF ME! LET GO! MY MOTHER, SHE'S LEAVING!"

"IKAYA," Jack yelled louder than he could ever remember doing, "THAT WAS NOT YOUR MOTHER!

Ikaya finally stopped fighting to get away.

"That was Aku, in the form of the woman he named Ikra. I am sorry for all of this, but Ikaya you must listen…that was not your mother."

Ikaya gasped for air, the truth racing through her mind and even though she fought to keep it from setting in her eyes made it clear that it had done just that.

"I…I…" she gasped out, collapsing into Jack's chest, crying in a way she had never done before.

Her sobs were intense, her face buried in his torso. Jack wrapped his arms around her, a serene worry across his face while Ikaya continued to cry within his embrace and although it pained him to see her like this he knew that for the moment there was nothing he could do but hold her.

"Master…" the shadow demon said, as they flew toward the quarry in the distance.

"Yes, what is it?" Aku said his face unreadable.

"Why didn't you destroy them both there and then like you had planned to do to the Samurai? Why are you prolonging the battle?"

Aku looked up at the demon, an annoyed look across his face.

"I mean if you don't mind me asking, Master, I mean." The Demon said, slightly flinching.

"Because of what that girl said. If the female form I take is indeed that of her mothers, then this ordeal has just become more complicated than I had originally thought, but before I can make my move I must make sure that my premonition is correct."

"Yes, Master." The demon said, still unsure of what his master was speaking of as they continued to fly toward their destination.

Jack and Ikaya were now on the floor within the empty unfinished room. Jack kneeled as Ikaya's listless body lay against his for a moment while she calmed down. Her sobs now changing to quiet weeping as she clung to Jack, who still held his arms around her.

"Why would Aku do that?" She finally whispered through her tears, the past stress becoming clear in her tired voice. "Why would he take the form of my mother?"

"I do not know." He said, staring at the floor, "but there is a way that we can find out."

Ikaya looked up at him. Jack had a soft smile on his face, his hand reaching up to wipe away the damp tears from her cheek.

"What do you mean?" she asked, still in a hushed tone.

"I understand if you can not do this, Ikaya, but Aku is waiting just outside of the city…perhaps by accepting his battle request he will tell us why he chose your mothers form."

Ikaya stared up at Jack, her eyes still glossy and full of tears, which she quickly wiped away. She slid away from Jack and stood up, still rigid on her feet she walked over to her bag. She kneeled, putting back all the things that had fallen out of it when she came across her mothers letters. Ikaya paused before picking them up. She held the bundle in her hands, her fingers going over the place where her mother had written her name. A determined look came across her face as she stood up and straightened her composure.

"Then let's go to him." She said, walking over to where her staff lay.

"Are you positive this is what you want to do?" Jack said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I've been searching for so long, if facing Aku is the only way to find out what happened to my mother then I will."

"If that is how you feel." He said as they rushed out of the room and made their way toward the outskirts of town.

Aku stood atop one of the high quarry walls, standing perfectly still just as Ikaya and Jack ran up to the base of the wall.

"AKU!" Jack yelled up to him.

"Samurai, you accepted my invitation, I can not say that I am surprised. I was beginning to worry though, you did take longer than I expected."

"No more of your games, Aku!"

"Yes, I understand Samurai. The young woman wishes to ask something of me, yes?"

"Where is my mother? Why did you take her form?" Ikaya yelled up to Aku, throwing her cloak to the ground.

Aku made no movement but did take notice of the jewel in Ikaya's chest. He stared down at the two of them, his face unreadable.

"Aku! Please, I need to know!" Ikaya yelled again.

"Perhaps someday you will know, child." Aku said, his gaze blank, "But until then…"

"Ikaya, behind you!" Jack yelled, barely blocking a strike from one of Aku's drones.

Almost instantly the land around them was covered with Aku's mindless insect drones, seemingly multiplying in the blink of an eye. Jack and Ikaya slashed in all directions trying in vain to cut down their attackers numbers. Instead each destruction of an enemy seemed to result in two more attacking them. The two of them struggled to keep the other in sight as if the drones were trying their best to separate the two of them.

"Master, destroy them now, when they are occupied with your drones, destroy them!" the Shadow Demon yelled, enjoying the scuffle below them.

"Ah, Demon, if only that is what I planned for them. I would step away from the edge if I were you."

The Demon looked up at his master, completely unaware of what was going on when Aku's eyes began to glow.

Ikaya suddenly let out a shallow cry before falling to her knees.

"Ikaya!" Jack yelled, trying to go to where she kneeled on the floor.

'What's happening?' Ikaya thought, the throbbing in her stomach now traveling up to her head.

Ikaya reached up and placed her palms on the outside of her head. Each beat of her heart seemed to make the pain worse. Her eyes were wide, she knew this feeling and she fought desperately to keep it in!

Her body ached and beads of sweat fell down her face. She needed to get away, she needed to keep away from Jack but the pain she felt made that an impossibility. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes and with one last burst of effort called out to her companion.

"Get away, Jack!" She yelled.

"No, I will not leave yo…"

"JACK!" she yelled again, "GET AWAY, NOW!"

Ikaya raised herself to the sky and instantly a burst of energy shot out from her chest. Jack turned and was able to take cover behind a large boulder just as the wave of power coming from Ikaya destroyed every single drone that had attacked them.

The shadow demon was thrown back a few feet from the blast below them. He landed with a hard thud and quickly scurried to hide under the rocks behind him and his master who stood at the edge of the wall looking at the events happening below him.

"IKAYA?" Jack yelled out to her, "IKAYA!"

Jack reached his hand out from where he hid and quickly brought it back in. The pain that engulfed it was something that he had never felt before. Jack held his hand close to him but quickly forgot about his own injury when he heard the screams coming from Ikaya. She was in such pain and he knew that he had to do something, anything.

Jack grabbed his sword and stood up from where he was protected from her power. The light that engulfed him was so incredibly painful that he almost fell to the safety behind the boulder again, but managed to take a few steps forward.

'What is the samurai doing?' Aku thought, 'He will be destroyed.'

Jack began to falter, his knees felt as if they would break any second, but he persevered. Jack clenched his teeth and raised his sword in front of him. Instantly the power exerting from Ikaya grew fainter around the sword, not by much but it was a noticable difference. Jack inched toward, slowly making his way to the screaming Ikaya, whose body arched back in agony.

Each step being harder than the last, but Jack refused to stop, taking another step that he felt would be his last when he finally made it to Ikaya. Jack reached out and grabbed Ikaya by the wrist, instantly engulfing himself in the excruciatingly painful power that Ikaya herself felt.

Jack began to scream and fought the need to let go with all his might.

Ikaya was unable to do anything to help him, the pain that she felt all this time was taking a toll on her body. She felt as if she was about to explode when she felt a weight around her. The sting that she felt before began to slowly fade, and although it was still there it was far less intense. Ikaya opened her eyes and realized that Jack had her in his embrace, taking on half of the power that was shooting out of her jewel. His sword was placed between them and Ikaya realized that it was that sword that kept him from being destroyed.

Ikaya looked at Jack, who was using all his strength to keep from passing out. With a painful gesture, Ikaya reached her arm around Jack and placed the other hand upon the sword in between them. Instantly there was a burst of white light and the two of them were thrown from where they kneeled, landing hard on the ground.

The dust was beginning to settle when Ikaya managed to open her eyes and look over at Jack, who lay unconscious some distance from where she herself lay. Her vision was blurred and it was hard for her to breath. Her body ached and was so weak she found it surprising that she herself was still awake, even if she could feel herself going under.

The sun was beginning to set in the distance and the sky was a beautiful shade of gold and orange. Ikaya began to fall unconscious when she heard footsteps coming toward her. Slowly she moved her head to try to see who was coming, her vision growing even more blurry by the second, and just before she fell unconscious she saw the figure of a man that she had only seen once before, and then nothing but black.


	14. Ch 13: The Pain of Not Knowing

**Disclaimer:**

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only things I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

**Notes**

Soo, I'm finally back to finally button up and get down to work to finish this story.

A short chapter, but it's necessary to keep the story going along. Enjoy, more to come.

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

** Chapter 13**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Samurai…."

"What? Who is there?"

"Samurai…"

Jack looked around, trying to figure out where he was exactly  
He found himself in a place of nothingness. A place where no matter which way he turned he could not see a hill, a town, or even the ground that he stood on. It was a place that could not possibly exist, but somehow Jack was there, and now he was not alone.

"Samurai…"

Jack turned and found himself face to face with the Oracles. The three women who had rotted away before his eyes were now the way they were when he had first seen them.

"How can this be?" He said, even more confused.

"You are strong, Samurai." The three of them said, "Stronger than even we could have seen. But your trials are far from over…the woman."

It was then that Jack realized that Ikaya was, like his surroundings, nowhere to be seen.

"Ikaya?! Where is she?"

"Did you not see, Samurai?

Jack said nothing, trying to decipher what the Oracles were talking about.

"Did you not see…at the top of the quarry. Did you not see?" The three women repeated.

Jack looked at the women, still unsure what they were trying to tell him. He searched through his memory of what had happened while they were in the quarry.  
The battle, the drones, Ikaya, and now Aku, standing atop that wall, being unaffected by the power that emitted from Ikaya down below.

Jack looked at the oracle, he said nothing while his mind struggled to make sense of what they were trying to tell him.

"Yes, Samurai…" they whispered, "the truth is close to revealing itself to you."

"But what does this mean…how was he able to endure such power?"

The three women began to float away from Jack, until they disappeared into the distance of the nothingness.

"Wait!" He yelled reaching toward where they had been?"

"Wake up Samurai…" the Oracle whispered, "Wake up."

Jack slowly awoke from the dream he had been having. Everything ached, even opening his eyes seemed to be a harder task than it normally would have, but he somehow managed. His eyesight was blurred, but Jack could make out the brown of a wooden ceiling above where he lay. A soft song was playing near him, being the only sound he was able to make out. Jack reached his arm up to his head, which was pounding, and pushed himself into an upright position. His body ached with each movement and although he still couldn't see straight he was able to notice the bruises on his body that looked as if they might had once been worse than they now were.

"Thank the heavens you decided to wake up. You had us worried, Jack." a familiar voice whispered from the other side of the room.

Standing near the doorway was Almay, placing some clean linens and clothes onto a chair.

"A-Almay?" Jack whispered, surprised at who he was talking to.

"Yes?" the old woman said, walking over to him.

"How is it that…how did I get here?"

"A music box merchant from the city brought you." she said, "You were talking in your sleep and that's how he figured out where to bring you."

Jack looked around the room, it was then that he noticed the music box on the small table next to him. He reached over and picked it up, it's song was quieter than he remembered and one corner had been singed, but the flower was still as clear as it had been when they had first seen it at the old merchants stand.

"How is Ikaya? Is she hurt?" he said after spending a few moments looking at the music box.

Almay stopped what she had been doing, she turned to look at him before quickly looking away.

"Almay, where is Ikaya?"

"The merchant found you out in the quarry alone, the only sign of Ikaya he found was her bag a few feet away from you, thrown behind a pile of rocks."

Jack looked down at the floor then moved toward the edge of the bed slowly trying to make his way off.

"Jack, please you shouldn't be moving around too much, you haven't healed yet." Almay said, reaching over to try and stop Jack.

"No Almay, I must do this, I can not just lay in a bed while Ikaya is out there somewhere."

Jack stood up and took a few steps forward before faltering and slowly falling toward the floor. Almay rushed to him and helped him make his way back to the bed.

"I know you're worried about Ikaya, Jack. Willem and I are worried too, but what is best right now is for you to heal."

Jack laid back into the bed, aggravated by the fact that he wasn't able to get up and walk off after a battle like he done so many times before. He wasn't sure what was worse, knowing that he couldn't just get up and move, or the fact that he was laying in a bed while Ikaya was missing. She could be anywhere and was most likely in worse shape than he was.

Ikaya heard scurrying around her face when she slowly began to open her eyes. Her movements startled the mice that were around the room, making them scurry toward their holes.

"Mice…" Ikaya said, almost like she was talking to a small voice who had asked 'what was that' in her head.

She shifted her body so her back was lying flat on the ground. Every inch of her was so weak, and ached to a point she had never felt before. Ikaya looked around the room and realized that she had no idea of where she was.

"Hello…is anyone there?" she said, but nothing but her echo spoke back.

The room she was in was dark and damp. Water fell down the back wall of the room she was in, collecting into a small puddle on the floor before disappearing out a fist size hole in the wall, and had it not been night, would have been the only source of natural light in the room. Which at the moment was lit by candles.

Ikaya forced herself to make her way up against a sack of rice near where she was laying, fighting the urge to just drop back onto the floor. Once she had accomplished her task she looked down at her body and noticed that the bruises she had weren't healing like they would have normally, and that she had a massive bruise on her chest around her jewel. She had never seen anything like that before, she reached up and touched her chest wincing at the amount of pain it shot through her body.

'Where am I?' she thought to herself, 'how did I get here?'

It was then that a man entered the room she was in. He walked across it and began to search through a box in the corner. He was wearing a cloak that covered his head, making it impossible to see his face.

"Sir, can you tell me where I am and how I got here?" she said.

The man continued to search, ignoring her completely.

"Sir, please, how did I get here?"

Nothing from the man.

Ikaya began to get annoyed, it became obvious to her that this man was going to be no help.

"I must warn you sir, I am not a helpless damsel who will lay back and wait for a man to save her!" she said, standing up from where she lay, using what little strength she had to hide the pain this caused her.

The man raised his hand and gestured for her come at him without looking at her, inviting her to attack.

Ikaya began to run toward him, getting ready for battle when she was stopped by an invisible electrified wall, right next to where the man was searching. She winced back away from the wall before collapsing onto the floor again.

She looked up just in time to see the electrified wall return to an invisible state like it had before.

The man meanwhile had finally found what he was looking for and exited the room.

Ikaya, still feeling the added pain from the wall laid her head back onto the floor, and even though she fought hard to keep herself awake, slowly blacked out.


	15. Ch 14: Running

Disclaimer:

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only things I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

**Notes**

Wow…I've been a complete jerk for the past couple of years and not updated…at…ALL! I owe all my readers a big apology. If I can make it up to you who still follow this story then it will be this way. I will try and update as much as possible until this story is done. I am vowing to give it my full attention and complete it as soon as possible. Again my apologies, and hope you bear with this short chapter while I get back into the feel of the story.

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

**Chapter 14**

Ikaya slowly opened her eyes. The aches and pains in her body being slightly less than when she woke before, but not by much.

She stared at the ceiling for a moment before a small bright light caught her eye. She moved her head to the left, toward the small hole she'd seen before. The daylight shining through it onto her face, letting her know it was no longer night.

She returned to facing the ceiling, then slowly she sat up, her head hanging down in front of her.

'Where am I?' she thought, 'Why have I been brought here?'

"Be careful getting up, lil' pretty." a voice said from the doorway into the room.

Ikaya raised her head to see the man she'd seen before leaning up against the frame of the door.

The anger in her face became apparent as she shuffled herself over to side of the room to lean against the same sack she had before.

"I can see I'm not one of your favorite people at the moment. Could be because of the small trick I played on you earlier. At least I know I'm not wasting my time...you've got some fight in you."

Ikaya never took her eyes off the man as he walked into the room and sat down on one of the crates near the door.

"Don't feel like talking much anymore? I know you can."

"Why did you bring me here?" she finally hissed at him.

"I was asked to help you."

"By whom?" she almost growled at him, the jewel on her chest starting to faintly glow.

"The who isn't important, what's important is the why. Seems you've got some great power within ya', or that jewel within your chest there, and seems someone realized you don't know much about controlin' it. At least not without this." he explained, pulling out her staff.

"That is not yours!" Ikaya yelled, causing the jewel to glow bright for a second which caused searing pain to engulf her body.

She reached up to her chest with her arm and nearly fell back to the floor before stopping herself with the other.

"Now that's what I was talking about. You need to be careful with that thing, especially at the moment. You're in no condition to lose control of your emotions like that."

"I'd feel more at ease if I wasn't a prisoner in a storage room."

"You're not a prisoner, lil' pretty. This here invisible wall is more for my protection than to keep you in. Heard about the mess you caused at that quarry you were in, bet if you were closer to the city you might have killed a bunch of people. No darlin', that wall is there just in case you decide to let that power of yours lose again."

"I could have..." Ikaya whispered as she pushed herself back onto the bag, "Jack..."

"What was that?"

"What happened to the man I was with? Is he hurt? What have you done with him!?"

"What did I just say about getting worked up? Calm yourself, that jewel's been sparkin' up a bit too much for my likin'."

Ikaya looked down at her chest to see her jewel starting to glow again. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing until the jewel began to grow dimmer then stopped flashing all together.

"Looks like you're starting to get the hang of it, at least a little anyway."

"I was traveling with a man." she slowly repeated, "I believe he may be hurt...what have you done with him?"

"Sorry...I wasn't actually at the quarry. You were brought to me alone. Was my understanding you were the only one who survived."

Ikaya's eyes grew wide and her heart sank as she searched the room in disbelief. If what the man had told her was true then she had killed her friend, the only real friend she'd had her whole life...she had killed him.

"Now calm yourself darlin'. Your jewel's glowin' bright again. I can only imagine what you must be feelin', but you need to calm yourself before you destroy us both."

Ikaya ignored the man. She could feel the jewels power growing again but she chose not to try and stop it even with the pain it caused her. Her friend was gone, just like her home, just like her mother. They were all gone because of her and she simply didn't want to fight anymore, in that instant she didn't care.

The man frowned at Ikaya and closed his eyes as a rumbling sound began to overtake the small room. The walls began to shake and specs of rock fell from the ceiling. Ikaya faced the man just as something reached deep into her mind. She stood up, not by her own will but through whatever was controlling her, she lifted her arms and the jewel began to glow in her chest, causing pain to shoot throughout her body once more. She could feel it's power growing until the force raised her arms toward the wall with the small hole in it and fired out a blast of green energy blasting a large portion of it away, leaving a gaping hole in its place. Slowly the power faded again and force that controlled her left her, causing her weak body to fall back to the floor.

She lifted herself up and turned to face the man, shock across her face.

"Now listen here lil' pretty. If you want to get out then there's your escape, but you won't make it far, trust me. There's a thousand foot drop on the other side of that wall, and what's even worse is you still have no idea how to control that jewel in your chest without this here staff of yours!" the man said, throwing the staff out of the room, "Now you got a choice, you can run. Run and give up on the only chance you have to be able to control that blasted jewel of yours! Run like I'm sure you've done your whole life or you can stay and let me help you be able to once and for all keep that jewel of yours from taking over again! If I can control the thing through you then you should be able to do it yourself. Now what's it gonna be!?"

The shock on Ikaya's face stayed as the man stood up and walked out of the room. She turned her attention to the gaping hole she had just made in the wall, the sun shining through it. She couldn't believe what had just happened, she couldn't believe that man had just taken over her whole body and managed to control her jewel with almost no effort. She pushed herself back up against the large sack and stared out the large hole. The wind lightly pushing the hair around her face. She was in no condition to run and even if she was she didn't much feel running. She was tired of running from her fears and problems and this man could teach her to truly control her jewel then she needed to trust him and not run. To honor the memory of her friend, she wasn't going to run anymore.


	16. Ch 15: The Teacher

Disclaimer:

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only things I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

Notes

Had a couple chapters and ideas written out but lost the files from my old computer..so I'm going a slightly different way with the story than I'd originally wanted to. I've had long enough to think out the hiccups in the story though so hopefully from this point on it'll flow better than it might had otherwise.  
Also thanks to SpringBorn for the constructive criticism, and also just realized that you've been with the story for years. Thank you so much for coming back to it after all this time and I am so sorry for taking that time to finally get back to it.

**Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate**

**By: IceDancer**

** Chapter 15**

"Almay sweetheart, please come and sit. Pacing the way you have won't bring Ikaya back any sooner or help Jack heal any faster." Willem said, tending to the fire in the fireplace.

Almay looked back at her husband. She had spent the last few days pacing their home cleaning and reorganizing anything she could think of to keep herself occupied.

"I know Willem, I'm just so worried about them." she said, taking a seat beside her husband.

It had been a few days since Jack had been brought back to their home. His condition was slowly getting better and Almay was worrying herself sick taking care of him and distressing over not knowing where Ikaya was. Willem did his best to try and calm his wife and help her around the house but till that moment it hadn't helped to calm her much at all.

"Thank you, Willem." Almay said, leaning against her husband who held her close.

Just then the sound of soft shuffling came from the hallway that lead to the guest room. Jack slowly emerged, one hand against the wall to help steady himself.

"Oh Jack let me..." Almay said getting up.

"No, please." Jack said, gesturing for her to stay where she was sitting, "I must do it myself."

Almay gave him a small nod and rested back where she was. Jack slowly let go of the wall and took a few steps into the room. He felt much stronger since he'd woken up but it would still be a while longer before he was back to normal.

"How are you feeling my boy?" Willem asked just as Jack sat down in the chair he'd been making his way to.

"Much better, thank you." Jack said, letting out a relaxing sigh as he adjusted in the chair.

"Are you hungry?" Almay asked.

"No, thank you, I am still satisfied from the breakfast you brought me." Jack replied, smiling at her.

The three of them sat in silence for a few moments. The same thing on all their minds but none of them wanting to be the first to bring it up.

"Now stop your worrying, the lot of you." Willem finally said breaking the silence, "This is Ikaya we're worrying about. She can take care of herself, I'm sure of it!"

"Yes, her mother was an amazing fighter and I'm sure she passed the knowledge onto Ikaya. She is more than able to protect herself." Almay followed, almost more for her own benefit than to make the others feel better.

"Yes, Ikaya will be fine." Jack said, sure that she would indeed be fine but still worried about where she might be.

Jack looked down at the fire in the fireplace. They were right, Ikaya would be able to take care of herself but he still felt uneasy. He hadn't told them what had happened in the city or what the Oracles had shown him in his dream. He didn't want to worry them any more than they already were.  
'What if Aku was the one who had taken Ikaya?' Jack thought to himself, 'He was not effected by her powers and what if she is hurt? She will not be able to protect herself from his evil.'  
Jack closed his eyes and cleared his mind, thinking the worst would not help anyone. For now he needed to focus on regaining his strength, only after he was well again could he go in search of his friend. If she was with Aku he would need all his strength.

"How about some tea?" Almay said, getting up, "I'm sure a cup will do us all some good."

"That sounds great, sweetheart." Willem said.

"How about you Jack? Would you like a cup?"

"Yes Almay, thank you." Jack said, giving her a smile before returning his gaze to the fire.

'I hope she is not hurt.' he thought to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ikaya was sitting against the wall beside the gaping hole the old man had forced her to make, resting her arms on the exposed brick. The wind coming in through it was warm and the sun was setting in the distance, both of which helped to calm her. In the few days since she'd first woken up in the worst state she could remember being in she had again quickly begun to heal back to normal. There was still a noticeable bruise around her jewel but aside from that she was feeling more like herself.  
The old man would return at the same few times throughout the day to bring her food but he did not look at her again, let alone talk to her. She didn't feel much like talking to him anyway. She was embarrassed by what he had said to her that first day she woke in this small room. He was right, she had spent her life running from the problems she'd been faced with, or at least hiding from them.  
Ikaya watched as the sun disappeared behind the horizon, birds flying past the opening every now and then. The old man wasn't just right about her running, he was also right when he told her she couldn't have escaped that way even if she wanted.  
The little storage room she was in was extended out from a slick mountain side. When Ikaya felt able to walk around without much pain she poked her head through the hole to survey what lay outside of it. They were so far up that Ikaya couldn't see the ground, especially through the clouds that gathered far below. The opposite direction wasn't much better, although she could see the top the mountain side was too slick and treacherous to even attempt climbing up. Someone would have to be able to fly if they were going to escape that way.

Now though Ikaya rested her head down onto her arms and let out a long sad sigh. She had used the few days of solitude to try and come to terms with the fact that not only had she witnessed Aku parading around as her mother but she had also lost her good friend, and not only had he been killed but his death was her fault.  
She spent the first few hours after hearing that news breaking down and crying, struggling to keep herself from losing control of her jewel again. That first day was the hardest she'd had to deal with in a long while and although she nearly gave up to her anguish on several occasions she somehow found the strength to push on and keep herself under control.

"Gotta say I'm a little surprised you haven't tried to escape yet, especially since it seems you're more than healthy enough to do so." The old man said from the doorway, interrupting Ikaya's train of thought.

She turned to the man for a moment. He wasn't wearing his cloak like he had been, showing a large tattoo on the left side of his face. Ikaya had never seen such a design, which consisted of curved lines and what looked like ancient writing. He had no hair on his head, the only hair being that of his long grey beard which had two thick braids that had been braided into the hair on either side of it. His face was stern and seemingly angry even though she could tell he was calm from the tone he'd used to talk to her. He had a muscular build and his arms were tattooed as well with designs that matched the one on his face.

"I couldn't run even if I wanted to...isn't that what you said?" she said to him, her voice cracking slightly from days of not using it.

"Doesn't mean people haven't tried." he said, walking over to a small box on the wall across from where he entered the room. He pushed hidden buttons inside of it and closed it again just as the electric wall keeping Ikaya in the room became visible again and powered down. Ikaya didn't move from where she sat, not knowing what to think.

"Come on lil' pretty." the old man said walking out of the room.

Ikaya got up and followed the man through the doorway without questioning it. The door lead to a long, dark hallway carved into the mountain itself. It was cold and damp in the hallway with water dripping from it's walls. The old man walked a few feet in front of her, their steps echoing with each step and had he not grabbed a torch from the wall she wouldn't have been able to see him at all.  
Eventually they came to a wooden door which the man walked through revealing a soft yellow light coming from the other side. Ikaya followed through and was surprised to see a warm, welcoming, and large great room in front of her.  
The great room was the center of the old mans home. It was an intricately designed circular room, with large pillars around it which were detailed with carvings of great battles and animals from the forest. A dining table sat to her right and beyond that a large kitchen with equally intricately carved woodwork. On the opposite side of the room was a large iron fireplace with plush furniture in front of it, and past that a long dimly lit hallway with doors on either side of it.  
She looked down at the shapes and images designed into the floor showing the stars in the night sky and the movement of the sun and moon within it. She would have never thought that such a beautiful and inviting home could be found carved into the side of a mountain, especially judging from the dank, dark, rundown room she had been kept in.

"Lil' pretty." the old man said to get her attention from the table carrying two mugs, raising one of them in the air to let her know which cup was for her.

Ikaya walked up to the table and slowly sat down, taking a sip from the mug.

"Didn't know you could heal as fast as you have." the old man said, taking a drink from his mug, "Most people would still be crawling around the floor."

She said nothing, not knowing if he was mocking her or being sincere.

"I heard you crying over the past couple of nights." he said, "Judging by the fact that you didn't blow yourself up you're starting to get the hang of controlling your powers."

Ikaya flinched for a moment then slowly put her mug down, not saying a word or looking at the man who noticed her change in demeanor.

"Sorry lil' pretty, didnt' mean to be so blunt. Been on my own for so long I've forgotten how to keep my mouth shut. Then again was never one to keep myself from doing just that anyway...my apologies."

"Ikaya." she said.

"What was that?" he said, taking another sip of his drink.

"My name isn't 'lil' pretty', it's Ikaya."

"My apologies again, lil'...I mean Ikaya."

Ikaya turned and looked at the man, who glared at her, their eyes locked and neither of them broke their gaze. Finally after a few moments the old man began to smile and let out a deep, gruff laugh following it by taking a sip of his drink.

"Good, you've got some spirit in you. That'll come in handy for your training tomorrow." the man said.

"Training?" she asked.

"I told you already, you're here to learn how to control your powers without that staff of yours. Being able to keep your wits about you is a good sign. Means you're capable of putting up with my methods."

Ikaya looked back down at her cup for a moment.

"Who brought me here?" she asked.

"Honestly, I couldn't tell you. A man wearing a heavy cloak came to my door, told me a little about why you were unconscious, and offered me a sack of gold to teach you."

Ikaya's brow furrowed slightly.

"I take it you can't think of anyone who would want to bring you?"

Ikaya shook her head.

"That is an odd one. Never had anyone brought to me by someone they didn't know."

"Do you get many visitors?" Ikaya asked, still trying to make sense of situation.

"Visitors, no, people begging me to teach them, yes...or at least I used to. Not many people know I'm here anymore." the man chuckled to himself.

"...and where are we, exactly?" Ikaya said.

"Oh yeah, forgot you weren't awake when your 'friend' brought you. We're on the border of the 'Threshold Valley'."

"How far is that from..." Ikaya started, never hearing of that valley before.

"That quarry you were in? Something else I couldn't tell you and the man didn't give much more information than what I already said."

Ikaya returned her gaze to the mug in her hands. 'Who could have possibly brought me here?' she thought, searching through her mind for anyone who would take her to this man.

"Well, now seems like as good a time as any to get a full nights sleep." the man said, grabbing her mug without checking to see if she had finished, "We've got some hard work ahead of us."

The man placed both their mugs on the counter and lead Ikaya toward the long dim hallway of doors. He opened the first door they came to and stood to the side so Ikaya could walk in. The room itself was large and even though it was dark she could still make out a large luxurious looking bed against the opposite side of the door. To the right of the large bed an equally beautiful fireplace sat extruding slightly from the wall, two chairs on either side of it. Finally, placed to the right of the door was a large dresser and an equally large wardrobe to the right of that placed so it's back was at the corner of the room.  
While Ikaya stood admiring what she could make out the old man stepped into the room and raised his arm snapping twice. Instantly a fire ignited in the fireplace with a loud almost popping sound that caused Ikaya to flinch slightly.

"Best get to bed as soon as possible, it's the last full nights sleep you'll have for a while." the man said to her with a smirk, walking toward the door, "Oh and the name's Gillion, goodnight lil'...sorry, Ikaya."

With that the man closed the door behind him. Ikaya walked over to the door and opened it about an inch.

"He didn't lock it..." she whispered to herself, so he wasn't lying to her, she wasn't a prisoner.

She closed the door again and turned to face the now bright room. The bed was carved out of dark wood and like the rest of the home was decorated with animals and intricate carvings, The fireplace was just as beautiful, being adorned with flourishes and plant designs. Ikaya looked down at the floor which had the same design as was in the great room, and the rest of the furniture was just as amazingly carved as the bed.  
She walked over to the bed and ran her hands lightly over the woodwork before climbing into it. The covers and pillows were soft and was made of the finest fabrics Ikaya had ever felt. She had never seen such fine and beautiful furniture, she never even thought such fine things existed. She'd spent most of her life living out doors or in simple homes that a room like this would have only existed in the fairy tales her mother or Madame Miss would have told her. She never thought she'd find herself in a place like this.

'I wonder if Jack had ever seen any...' she thought before interrupting herself.

She sat for a moment shifting over to the corner of the bed and bringing her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She began to tear up again when she noticed her jewel begin to faintly glow int the dark area she'd created with her legs and her hair. Ikaya took a deep breath and wiped her eyes, letting out a long soft sigh. Instantly the jewel went dark again.

'You're here to keep this curse under control.' she thought, 'So you'll never lose another friend.'

With that Ikaya moved back to the top of the bed, adjusting herself under the covers and resting back onto the lush pillows. She stared at the shadows dancing on the ceiling and tried her best to not allow any thoughts to cross her mind for fear that she might tear up again.

"I'm here to keep this curse under control." she whispered to herself again before slowly falling asleep.


	17. Ch 16: A Force To Overcome

Disclaimer:

This story is based on the cartoon 'Samurai Jack'. I do not own Samurai Jack or anything associated with the show. That honor goes to the folks at Cartoon Network and the shows creator, Genndy Tartakovsky. The only things I do own are all the original characters portrayed in my story. So to recap, Samurai Jack and all related characters and places © Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network, All original characters and storyline © Adriana Limon (Nanas, IceDancer).

Notes

Took a few days off of writing the chapter after accidentally deleting more than half of it. Got pretty sad and decided to take a moment to collect myself, so sorry for the longer wait for this chapter than I inteded. Hopefully the small break helped fuel my creative juices.  
Also as always to the wonderful SpringBorn, you really are keeping my focus alive in this. Thank you for the feedback and for the confidence I was lacking for a while. This is for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unclouded Truth: A Tale of Fate

By: IceDancer

Chapter 16

Ikaya shot up in her bed to the sounds of something exploding in the air. All around her what looked like fireworks popped and exploded in multiple colors and brightness, then just as quickly stopped. She stared wide-eyed at the old man standing in the doorway chuckling to himself for his light show theatrics.

"Time to get up, Ikaya." he laughed, tossing her a small pile of clothes, "Put those on and meet me in the great room. You have ten minutes or I'm coming in with real fireworks."

With that the man shut the door leaving the still shaken Ikaya sitting wide-eyed in her bed. She continued to pant from the fear and collapsed back onto the bed, her hand placed over her eyes. If this singular moment was to be the first hint of how her training was going to be she knew it wasn't gonna much fun, at least not for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few minutes later Ikaya emerged from her room and stepped into the great room where Gillion was sitting at the table. She was wearing the clothes he'd thrown at her, a form fitting brown suit made from a stretchy material she'd never seen before but had the faint odor of animal pelt which reminded her of home.

"Why do I need to wear this?" she asked walking over to where Gilllion was.

"Yup, need something that isn't too loose and will allow you to move freely. Also might be a good idea to tie your hair back." he said, handing her a small long piece of the same fabric her clothes were made of.

Ikaya began to braid her hair back away from her face, the look on it being that of confusion and slight worry. What did Gillion have planned that required nothing be too loose on her?

"Here." he said placing a bowl of oatmeal in front of her along with some tea. "Eat up, we've got a long day ahead of us...you're gonna need your strength."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Almay walked into the kitchen just before the sun rose like she'd done for as long as she could remember. That was her time to unwind and enjoy the stillness of the world before it too woke up and she would cook breakfast. She filled her kettle with water and placed it on the burner before she heard a noise coming from behind the house. She walked through the door leading to a small patch of grass and it was that she saw Jack dressed in his robe and standing perfectly still with his sword in his hand. His eyes were closed, the only movement from him was his robe blowing in the cold morning wind.  
Before Almay could ask what he was doing he slowly brought his sword up so it was parallel with his body. He brought both his arms up in front of him and brought his hands to his chest. Almay watched as he continued to make slow broad movements, taking short steps to the right and moving his arms as if in a sort of dance. In one slow, swift, and controled movement he finally extended the sword to the left bringing both his arms up and out, turning toward the direction he aimed the sword. He stepped out and extended the sword outward before letting out a gutteral sound, dropping the sword and clenching at his side. Almay ran to his side and helped him make his way to the bench that wasn't too far from them.

"You shouldn't be over exerting yourself, Jack!" she said as they both sat down, "You've barely been able to walk without aid."

"I'm sorry..." was all he said, not wanting to show his face to her, "Thank you for helping me."

Almay's worried expression turned to a soft understanding smile.

"We're all worried about her." she said, "I just don't want you pushing yourself too hard before you're ready."

Jack said nothing, but nodded that he understood. Just then the sound of the kettle whistling could be heard through the open door interrupting them.

"How about a cup of tea before breakfast?" Almay asked.

"Yes, please." he whispered.

Almay nodded and went inside leaving Jack alone on the bench.  
He waited a few moments and slowly got up, walking over to his sword and taking his time to pick it up. He was embarrassed that Almay had seen him in a moment of weakness although he was thankful that she had helped him. He shifted the sword so it caught the reflection of the sun rising off in the distance. Jack closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh before straightening up again, preparing to do his exercises again.

"Slowly this time, and do not push too hard." he whispered to himself as he slowly executed the first position of his exercises.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ikaya shielded her eyes from the light of the rising sun in the distance. Even though it was barely peeking over the horizon the brightness was too much for Ikaya to take, considering she'd spent the last couple of hours in a home carved out of the side of a mountain.

"Ready for your first test?" Gillian said, tossing Ikaya something.

She caught it and looked down, not knowing what to expect but surprised at what it was.

"An egg?" she asked.

"No, not an egg, more than an egg..." he said, thinking over what he was going to say, "okay, it is an egg, but for the sake of this exercise this egg represents something more. Something you've always wanted, something very important."

Ikaya stared at the egg, her thoughts instantly going to her mother and finally settling on Jack.

"Judging by your face I'd say you already have an idea of what it is that egg represents. Okay now place it on the floor and take a few steps back." Gillian instructed, his arms folded.

Ikaya did as she was told and placed the egg down on the ground before taking a few steps away from it and waiting for her next instructions.

"Good, good, now levitate that egg." Gillian said.

Ikaya nodded and focused on the egg. She strained for a second, nothing happened. She adjusted her stance and furrowed her brow and strained for another second. Not even a shift from the egg.

"I don't think I can even do that." she finally said, feeling silly.

"Don't think you can do that? Well, let's think about your staff, have you ever made it lift off of the ground, or come to you?" Gillian said, walking over to Ikaya.

"Yes...I've made it come back to me before." she almost whispered, realizing what he was getting at.

"That didn't come from the staff, that ability came from you." he said, now standing behind Ikaya, "Now close your eyes, focus on the blackness in front of you."

Ikaya looked at him through the corner of her eye and did as he asked. She focused on the darkness closing her eyes brought, not knowing exactly what to do next.

"Good, now think of the egg on the ground in front of you. Don't think of the grass around it, or the trees behind it, just the egg. Focus on the egg."

Suddenly Ikaya's jewel began to faintly glow and a green light began to surround the egg a few feet away.

"Keep focusing on that egg. Nothing else, the only thing that matters is that egg." Gillian said, smiling.

The light coming from both the jewel and the light surrounding the egg slowly grew brighter and brighter in front of them.

"Now imagine an invisible hand coming out from your mind and taking the egg up off the ground."

The egg began to shift and shake on the ground as Ikaya imagined what Gillian was telling her to.

"Good, good, you've almost got it. Keep focusing!"

Ikaya's face began to strain, she was surprised that this simple act of imagining an egg being lifted could be as physically straining as it was mentally but she pushed on wanting to complete the task given to her.  
Slowly the egg began to lift off of the ground, faltering in the air for a moment before lifting further and further up into the air. Gillian looked at Ikaya and back at the egg, the smile on his face getting wider. He had never had a student who could do that first task so quickly and the excitement he felt was so much that it showed on his face.

"Open your eyes, lil' pretty." he said, forgetting his manners in his excitement.

Ikaya slowly opened her eyes but as soon as she focused on the egg it shook and was flung toward the two of them. They both ducked, barely missing getting hit by the egg, which exploded on the tree behind them.

They both stood up and stared at it for a moment before looking at each other.

"Well, you got it off the ground. Now let's see if you can do that with your eyes open." Gillian laughed, tossing Ikaya another egg.

Ikaya spent all morning trying to get the egg off the ground, while Gillian tried to give constructive advice but usually fell back on making jokes about the amount of eggs he would have to get the next time he went to the market. Ikaya would let out frustrated sighs while Gillian tossed her another egg after she would either fling the eggs toward their surroundings, or exploding it on a few occasions. Once she was able to get the egg off the ground with her eyes open Gillian proceeded to lift a rock and throw it at the floating egg, which shocked and confused Ikaya, who was sad that her triumph was interrupted like that.  
Gillian laughed and shrugged his shoulders.

"You gotta be able to keep that egg safe. Levitating it isn't enough, keep it safe." he said, tossing her yet another egg.

Before the egg reached Ikaya she levitated it mid-air. She took her focus off of the egg and moved her gaze onto Gillian, giving him a coy smile.

Gillian responded by clapping his hands.

"Good job, now lets see if you can keep it from cracking." he laughed again, lifting up a nearby branch and proceeding to 'attack' the floating egg.

Ikaya struggled to move the egg out of the way, the strain showing on her face. As Gillian swung the branch around displaying his skill with a weapon Ikaya mentally pushed and hurled the egg out of the way without losing her concentration. The more the old man fought to destroy the egg the easier the task became for Ikaya, who's jewel went from brightly shining to barely glowing which Gillian took full notice of.

After it became apparent that Ikaya could levitate and move the egg around with little effort Gillian stepped back and gave her an approving nod which Ikaya responded with a large smile.

"You truly are a fascinating young woman." he praised, "I don't believe I've ever had a student learn so quickly."

"Thank you." Ikaya responded.

"Oh don't thank me yet..." he said, lunging toward her with the branch above his head.

Ikaya let out a surprised gasp and barely had enough time to jump out of the way. As soon as she did her focus on the egg was lost for a second which Gillian turned and proceeded to swing at the falling egg. Ikaya managed to levitate the egg away from the branch just as Gillian again proceeded to attack her. The two of them began to spar, Gillian going from attacking Ikaya to continuing to try and destroy the egg. Ikaya held her ground dodging all of his advances as well as keeping the egg in one piece. The strain such a task played on her mind began to ware her out which again showed on her face. She needed to end this before he managed to destroy the egg when suddenly an idea popped into her head.  
Suddenly Gillian seemingly came out of nowhere and managed to knock Ikaya to the ground. He quickly turned and raised the branch over his head, intending to destroy the egg when something small fell from above him, bouncing off his head before landing on the ground. Gillian looked down to see a small piece of bark resting on the ground. Suddenly another piece of bark fell and bounced off of his shoulder which brought his focus to the large log floating above his head.  
He looked down at Ikaya, a surprised and elated expression on his face.

"You truly are amazing!" he yelled out in celebration, throwing down the branch and reaching out to help Ikaya up, "Look at what you're doing Ikaya! Levitating not only two objects but also two objects of vastly different size and weight! You've truly exceeded expectation!"

Ikaya smiled, she wasn't used to such praise, but she was still very appreciative of it.

"Good job, now drop that log over there and let's get inside." Gillian laughed, snatching the egg out of the air and walking toward his home.

Ikaya followed as he lead her back into the home and up through the long dark corridor back into the small storage room where he had held her.

"You did really good today, Ikaya. In fact you did so well that I think you're ready for the next lesson. You remember what the egg represented?" he asked, tossing the egg to her.

"Something very important to me." she answered.

"Good, so what's important to you?" he said, walking over to the wall with the large hole in it, running his hands over the edges and taking mental measurements and calculations while he looked outside of it, most likely to take mental inventory of what he needed to fix it.

Ikaya looked down at the egg in her hand, thinking hard about what the most important thing was to her and how she should answer his question.

"I've lost a lot," she started, "all I've ever wanted, was to bring back the people I cared about."

Gillian stopped focusing on the wall and turned his attention to the woman looking longingly at the egg in her hand even though it was no longer just an egg to her for that moment.

"So you've lost people. I see." he said, "So what is the one thing you find most important in all the world."

Ikaya said nothing at first then looked up at the old man, a smile on her face.

"Life." she said.

Gillian smiled back at her and nodded, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Now that is a great answer." he said, leaning back and free falling out of the storage room.

Ikaya dropped the egg and sprang to the opening just in time to see Gillian disappear through the clouds below her. She instantly focused in that last second, straining her mind in a way she'd never experienced before. Time slowed down as she began to lose hope when she began to see a faint light shining through the clouds below her. Ikaya stared wide eyed as Gillian came up through the clouds, floating toward her by his foot which had a small green glow around it. He raised up higher and higher until he was floating face to face with Ikaya just outside the opening in the wall.

His face was full of elation when he began to laugh back at the slightly angered woman.

"Why did you do that!?" Ikaya yelled, angered and confused as ever.

"Why are you so upset?" he said, walking over and placing his hands on her shoulders, "You did it!"

Ikaya's anger began to fade slightly when the gravity of the situation began to dawn on her fully.

"You had a split second to act, you focused, and you saved me from a messy end. Judging by the look on your face you're not even fully focusing on me anymore! I believe you've almost completely mastered this ability in one day!"

Ikaya stared at him wide eyed when she realized that she hadn't been fully focused on him for the past couple of minutes. She began to smile while the dim green light overtook Gillian and turned him so he was right side up again, the smile never disappearing from his face.

"Uh oh." he said, interrupting the moment.

"What?" Ikaya asked.

"Looks like you broke the egg again, I'd call this a fail." Gillian said, smiling at her.

Ikaya raised an eye brow and the the green light around Gillian disappeared and he fell a few feet back toward the clouds.

"Okay, Okay! You passed!" Gillian yelled as the green light surrounded him again, lifting him back up into the hole in the wall and onto the ground in front of Ikaya, "You've more than proven that you've mastered your ability. This calls for a celebratory meal! You've earned it!"

The two of them walked out of the room toward the kitchen. Teacher and student feeling accomplished after a long, straining, but accomplishing day. Ikaya feeling the best she'd felt in a long time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack had spent the majority of the day outside in the back doing his Tai Chi exercises only stopping to eat and for his morning tea with Almay. He was still very sore and although his body ached and the want to stop constantly flashed through his mind he refused to give into it.  
Now he was sitting on the bench Almay had helped him to in the morning.

"Not pushing yourself too hard, my boy?" Willem asked from the doorway.

Jack shook his head.

"I learned my lesson this morning."

"I heard." Willem said, walking over to Jack and giving him a hard pat on the shoulder.

Jack struggled to keep a grunt of pain in, but he managed to do it.

"You really are a prodigy my boy." Willem said, laughing.

"Thank you...what is a 'prodigy'?"

"It means you are an amazing person, super human... Ikaya was lucky to have found you."

Jack opened his eyes and looked down at the ground in front of him.

"Don't worry about her too much, my boy. If she is anything like her mother then I am sure is fine." Willem said, half to reassure Jack but also to reassure himself.

"I believe you are right." Jack said, never lifting his gaze from the ground.

"Well best we get back inside. Almay's made us a delicious smelling supper and we don't want it to get cold." Willem said, grunting as he slowly stood up.

Jack smiled and followed suit, also letting out a small grunt of pain as he slowly stood up as well.

The two of them made their way back into the home where Almay waited with their suppers, her usual soft smile on her face.  
Jack thought about what Willem had said outside. He was right, Ikaya was resilient. She'd had to deal with so much in the short time since he'd first met her in the disappearing forest, not to mention what she'd had to live through in her whole life. He hoped that wherever she was she was safe, and that his recovery would be a quick one so he could venture out and find her. 'I hope she is safe', he thought to himself, 'I hope she is safe'.


End file.
